How does the skin sense sun light? An integrative view of light sensing molecules

The consensus on the effects of excessive sun exposure on human health has long emphasized the negative effects of solar UV radiation. Nevertheless, although UV radiation has been demonized, less is known about the consequences of sun exposure while using sunscreen, which can lead to high visible light exposure. UV and visible light play key roles in vitamin D synthesis, reduction of blood pressure, among other beneficial effects. In this review, we aim to provide a comprehensive view of the wide range of responses of the human skin to sunlight by revisiting data on the beneficial and harmful effects of UV and visible light. We start by exploring the interaction of photons in the skin at several levels including physical (depth of photon penetration), chemical (light absorption and subsequent photochemical events), and biological (how cells and tissues respond). Skin responses to sun exposure can only be comprehensively understood through a consideration of the light-absorbing molecules present in the skin, especially the light-sensing proteins called opsins. Indeed, many of the cellular responses to sun exposure are modulated by opsins, which act as the “eyes of the skin”.     

Exploring the effect of radiation crosslinking on the physico‐mechanical,dynamic mechanical and dielectric properties of EOC–PDMS blends for cable insulation applications

This work focuses on the effect of electron beam irradiation on the physico‐mechanical, dynamic mechanical and dielectric properties of blends based on ethylene octene copolymer (EOC) and poly dimethyl siloxane (PDMS) rubber. It is found that electron beam irradiation caused considerable improvement in the physico‐mechanical properties; the tensile strength was enhanced by nearly 35% for 70:30 EOC:PDMS blend. Phase morphology of the blends analyzed before irradiation by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) exhibited droplet/matrix morphology with sizes of the PDMS rubber domain varying from 0.55 µm to 0.47 µm as the amount of PDMS rubber decreased from 30 wt% to 10 wt%. This reduction in the PDMS rubber domain has been correlated with the physico‐mechanical properties of the blends. Further, the dynamic mechanical properties and creep behavior of these EOC:PDMS blends before and after irradiation has been studied. It is inferred that the 70:30 blend after radiation crosslinking shows a 17% decrease in the creep compliance, i.e. higher creep resistance compared to neat blends. All the radiation crosslinked blends exhibited lower dielectric constant, lower dielectric loss and higher electrical resistivity as compared to the virgin blends which makes it suitable for cable insulating application. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Rapid microwave-assisted preparation of binary and ternary transition metal sulfide compounds

Transition metal chalcogenides are of interest for energy applications, including energy generation in photoelectrochemical cells and as electrodes for next-generation electrochemical energy storage. Synthetic routes for such chalcogenides typically involve extended heating at elevated temperatures for multiple weeks. We demonstrate here the feasibility of rapidly preparing select sulfide compounds in a matter of minutes, rather than weeks, using microwave-assisted heating in domestic microwaves. We report the preparations of phase pure FeS₂, CoS₂, and solid solutions thereof from the elements with only 40 min of heating. Conventional furnace and rapid microwave preparations of CuTi₂S₄ both result in a majority of the targeted phase, even with the significantly shorter heating time of 40 min for microwave methods relative to 12 days using a conventional furnace. The preparations we describe for these compounds can be extended to related structures and chemistries and thus enable rapid screening of the properties and performance of various compositions of interest for electronic, optical, and electrochemical applications.     

Asymptotic behavior toward the combination of contact discontinuity with rarefaction waves for 1-D compressible viscous gas with radiation

This paper is concerned with the large-time behavior toward the combination of two rarefaction waves and viscous contact wave for the Cauchy problem to a one-dimensional Navier–Stokes–Poisson coupled system, modeling the dynamics of a viscous gas in the presence of radiation. We show that the composite wave with small strength is asymptotically stable under partially large initial perturbations. The proofs are based on the more refined energy estimates to control the possible growth of the perturbations induced by two different waves and large data.     

Experimental Investigation on the Mass Diffusion Behaviors of Calcium Oxide and Carbon in the Solid-State Synthesis of Calcium Carbide by Microwave Heating

Microwave (MW) heating was proven to efficiently solid-synthesize calcium carbide at 1750 °C, which was about 400 °C lower than electric heating. This study focused on the investigation of the diffusion behaviors of graphite and calcium oxide during the solid-state synthesis of calcium carbide by microwave heating and compared them with these heated by the conventional method. The phase compositions and morphologies of CaO and C pellets before and after heating were carefully characterized by inductively coupled plasma spectrograph (ICP), thermo gravimetric (TG) analyses, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The experimental results showed that in both thermal fields, Ca and C inter-diffused at a lower temperature, but at a higher temperature, the formed calcium carbide crystals would have a negative effect on Ca diffusion to carbon. The significant enhancement of MW heating on carbon diffusion, thus on the more efficient synthesis of calcium carbide, manifested that MW heating would be a promising way for calcium carbide production, and that a sufficient enough carbon material, instead of CaO, was beneficial for calcium carbide formation in MW reactors.     

Adsorption of cationic methylene blue dye using microwave-assisted activated carbon derived from acacia wood: Optimization and batch studies

This study assesses the performance of optimized acacia wood-based activated carbon (AWAC) as an adsorbent for methylene blue (MB) dye removal in aqueous solution. AWAC was prepared via a physicochemical activation process that consists of potassium hydroxide (KOH) treatment, followed by carbon dioxide (CO₂) gasification under microwave heating. By using response surface methodology (RSM), the optimum preparation conditions of radiation power, radiation time, and KOH-impregnation ratio (IR) were determined to be 360 W, 4.50 min, and 0.90 g/g respectively, which resulted in 81.20 mg/g of MB dye removal and 27.96% of AWAC’s yield. Radiation power and IR had a major effect on MB dye removal while radiation power and radiation time caused the greatest impact on AWAC’s yield. BET surface area, mesopore surface area, and pore volume of optimized AWAC were found to be 1045.56 m²/g, 689.77 m²/g, and 0.54 cm³/g, respectively. Adsorption of MB onto AWAC followed Langmuir and pseudo-second order for isotherm and kinetic studies respectively, with a Langmuir monolayer adsorption capacity of 338.29 mg/g. Mechanism studies revealed that the adsorption process was controlled by film diffusion mechanism and indicated to be thermodynamically exothermic in nature.     

纳米材料用于放疗防护的研究进展

放射治疗是利用高能射线抑制癌细胞增殖的治疗方法, 已广泛用于恶性肿瘤的治疗. 但是, 高能射线不可避免地会对机体的正常组织造成损害, 产生放疗相关副作用. 尽管目前有一些小分子放疗防护药物已应用于临床或处于临床前研究, 但其较短的血液循环时间和较快的新陈代谢速度极大地削弱了其防护效果. 近20年来, 随着纳米技术在生物医学领域的飞速发展, 纳米放疗防护剂的出现为提高防护效果提供了新的选择. 通过合理地设计和开发纳米放疗防护剂, 有望解决现有小分子放疗防护药物的缺陷. 鉴于纳米放疗防护剂具有诸多优势, 本Review概述了纳米放疗防护材料的常见设计策略, 同时分析了放射诱导的常见疾病的致病机制和纳米放疗防护材料防治各种放射诱导疾病的研究现状. 最后, 还讨论了纳米材料用于放疗防护所面临的挑战和未来前景.     

Influence of thermophoretic diffusion of nanoparticles with Joule heating in flow of Maxwell nanofluid

The aspects of activation energy in magnetized Maxwell nanofluid flow with Brownian movement and thermophoretic diffusion have been elaborated here. Furthermore, Joule heating, variable conductivity and chemical reaction are scrutinized. The Buongiorno nanofluid thought is ratify to incorporate the importance of thermophoretic and Brownian diffusion. The attained ODEs have been solved via homotopic algorithm. The performance of operational variables is inspected. The Maxwell temperature field for Eckert number and variable conductivity factor have similar trend. The fluid concentration exaggerates for activation energy and decelerates for Brownian motion parameter. Furthermore, the brilliant outcomes attained and associated with possible existing prose accurately.     

新型列车侧墙内装板声学分析、优化及应用*

为了开发与应用新型列车车体降噪内装结构,基于混合FE-SEA法对轨道车辆用新型橡胶泡棉夹芯板进行隔声与声辐射预测建模,并进行了试验验证,进而利用该模型分析了橡胶泡棉孔隙率与芯皮厚度比对其隔声性能、声辐射性能的影响规律,并通过敷设阻尼层优化了其声学性能。最后,在侧墙组合结构的声学设计中评价了其实际应用效果。结果表明：随着孔隙率的逐步下降,橡胶泡棉夹芯板隔声量上升趋势较为明显,而辐射声功率持续降低;随着芯皮厚度比的逐步提高,夹芯板隔声量呈略微上升趋势,辐射声功率则相应降低。在远离声源一侧的橡胶泡棉蒙皮外侧敷设阻尼层的效果最优,优化后夹芯板计权隔声量提高0.7dB,总声功率级降低0.7dB;相较于传统木质胶合板和铝蜂窝板,橡胶泡棉夹芯板相较于传统内装板材在结构隔声设计中具有轻量化优势。     

同步辐射X射线成像技术在脑成像研究中的应用

脑疾病的诊疗、 探索高级脑功能机制和理解意识本源对脑科学研究具有重要意义. 成像技术在阐明脑科学神经系统结构和功能中发挥了重要作用. 迄今, 核磁共振成像、 光学成像和电子显微镜成像技术已为脑科学研究提供了强有力的手段, 取得了突出的进展. 同步辐射X射线显微成像技术具有高分辨率、 快成像速度和高穿透深度等优点, 是一类与已有技术互补的新型脑成像技术. 本文介绍了核磁共振波谱、 光学显微镜和电子显微镜等成像方法在脑成像领域中的应用, 重点阐述了同步辐射X射线成像的优势以及在脑结构成像和功能成像中的应用. 在此基础上, 展望了同步辐射X射线成像应用于脑科学研究的未来发展方向, 讨论了该技术在绘制人脑联接图谱中的优势及可行性.