Ambient Air Research Articles

Immediate Effect of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Therapy on Sleep and Respiration in Patients with Multiple System Atrophy and Sleep-Disordered Breathing.

Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB; including stridor and sleep apnea syndromes) is frequent in multiple system atrophy (MSA), but the immediate effect of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy is incompletely determined. We sought to evaluate the acute effect and safety of CPAP therapy on SDB and sleep architecture, as well as the clinical characteristics of nonresponders to CPAP therapy. The measures of 63 consecutive patients with MSA who underwent a video-polysomnography during two consecutive nights (a first night in ambient air, a second night with or without CPAP, depending on the presence of SDB and availability of CPAP) in routine care were retrospectively collected. Linear mixed models assessed the two-night change in sleep and respiratory measures, comparing those with and without the CPAP therapy on the second night. SDB was frequent and mainly associated with the cerebellar phenotype. The introduction of CPAP had immediate benefits, including the normalization of the apnea-hypopnea index and a resolution of stridor in more than two-thirds of the cases, decreased arousal index, and increased rapid eye movement sleep. CPAP therapy was well tolerated, and only two patients had emergent central apneas. Nonresponse to CPAP was generally associated with more severe motor disease. CPAP seems a well-tolerated and effective therapy in patients with MSA and SDB in the short term. This treatment shows remarkable immediate benefits by objectively improving both respiratory disturbances and sleep architecture. © 2024 The Author(s). Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Interpregnancy interval, air pollution, and the risk of low birth weight: a retrospective study in China

BackgroundBoth interpregnancy intervals (IPI) and environmental factors might contribute to low birth weight (LBW). However, the extent to which air pollution influences the effect of IPIs on LBW remains unclear. We aimed to investigate whether IPI and air pollution jointly affect LBW.MethodsA retrospective cohort study was designed in this study. The data of birth records was collected from the Jiangsu Maternal Child Information System, covering January 2020 to June 2021 in Nantong city, China. IPI was defined as the duration between the delivery date for last live birth and date of LMP for the subsequent birth. The maternal exposure to ambient air pollutants during pregnancy—including particulate matter (PM) with an aerodynamic diameter of ≤ 2.5 μm (PM2.5), PM10, ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and carbon monoxide (CO)—was estimated using a hybrid kriging-LUR-RF model. A novel air pollution score was proposed, assessing combined exposure to five pollutants (excluding CO) by summing their concentrations, weighted by LBW regression coefficients. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to estimate the effects of IPI, air pollution and their interactions on LBW. Relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI), attributable proportion of interaction (AP) and synergy index (S) were utilized to assess the additive interaction.ResultsAmong 10, 512 singleton live births, the LBW rate was 3.7%. The IPI-LBW risk curve exhibited an L-shaped pattern. The odds ratios (ORs) for LBW for each interquartile range increase in PM2.5, PM10, O3 and the air pollution score were 1.16 (95% CI: 1.01–1.32), 1.30 (1.06–1.59), 1.22 (1.06–1.41), and 1.32 (1.10–1.60) during the entire pregnancy, respectively. An additive interaction between IPI and PM2.5 was noted during the first trimester. Compared to records with normal IPI and low PM2.5 exposure, those with short IPI and high PM2.5 exposure had the highest risk of LBW (relative risk = 3.53, 95% CI: 1.85–6.49, first trimester).ConclusionThe study demonstrates a synergistic effect of interpregnancy interval and air pollution on LBW, indicating that rational birth spacing and air pollution control can jointly improve LBW outcomes.

Self-Aligned Ionic Doping of TiO2 Thin-Film Transistors for Enhanced Current Drivability via Postfabrication Superacid Treatment.

Oxide semiconductor thin-film transistors (TFTs) have shown great potential in emerging applications such as flexible displays, radio-frequency identification tags, sensors, and back-end-of-line compatible transistors for monolithic 3D integration beyond their well-established flat-plane display technology. To meet the requirements of these appealing applications, high current drivability is essential, necessitating exploration in materials science and device engineering. In this work, we report for the first time on a simple solution-based superacid (SA) treatment to enhance the current drivability of top-gate TiO2 TFTs with a gate-offset structure. The on-current of these transistors is limited by the relatively low mobility of TiO2 due to its d-orbital conduction nature. It is found that the on-current of TiO2 TFTs is nearly doubled via a quick dip in a SA solution at room temperature in ambient air. A series of experiments, including comparative I-V measurements of TFTs with different treatments and gate structures, C-V measurements, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry, and device simulation, were performed to uncover the underlying reason for the current enhancement. It is believed that the protons (H+) from SA are doped into the offset region of TiO2 TFTs, forming an electron double layer and thus boosting the on-current, with the top gate serving as a self-aligned mask for ionic doping. Furthermore, the ionic size and the proportion of the offset region to the channel play crucial roles in the effectiveness of ionic doping, while the position of the incorporated ions, whether in the channel or dielectric, may result in distinct shifts in the turn-on voltage (VON) and affect the functionality of ionic doping. This study provides a pathway for enhancing the current drivability of TiO2 TFTs via selective ionic doping enabled by SA treatment and deepens our understanding of ion incorporation in electronic devices. This approach could be applicable to other material systems and may also benefit TFTs with miniaturized dimensions, thus opening up unprecedented opportunities for TiO2 TFTs in future applications requiring high current drivability.

Experimental study and statistical analysis of system performance parameters of a household freezer

The present research comprehensively examines the influences of different input variables, such as cabinet load level, ambient temperature, relative humidity, door opening time and day, on the output parameters of frosting amount, recovery time, and total energy consumption of the upright domestic freezer following the door opening operation. Moreover, a holistic statistical methodology, which is known as the GLM-ANOVA, was implemented for determining the parametric experimental results. Meanwhile, the effects of binary interactions between the input factors on the output parameters were extensively evaluated using statistical methods. As a consequence, the amount of frost increases with an upward gradient as the load level within the cabinet escalates from 25 °C to 32 °C. Both the duration of door openings and the relative humidity level have a double impact on the frosting. Moreover, the duration required for the system to recover from half load to full load more than doubles with an increase in ambient temperature from 25 °C to 32 °C. On the other hand, at an outdoor temperature of 25 °C, the recovery time demonstrates a close to linear relationship with the load level of the cabinet. Furthermore, the duration of door openings and the load capacity within the cabinet are considered two important factors that simultaneously influence the daily energy consumption. The infiltration of ambient air into the freezer compartment and the presence of moisture in the air substantially increase the energy consumption, especially when the relative humidity fluctuates between 30 % and 65 % and the door opening duration stretches from 10 to 20 s, respectively.

Investigations on the Heat Balance of the Melt Pool during PBF-LB/M under Various Process Gases

During the powder bed fusion of metals using a laser beam (PBF-LB/M), an inert atmosphere is maintained in the build chamber to avoid reactions of the liquid metal with ambient air leading to the creation of oxides or nitrides, which alter the mechanical properties of the processed part. A continuous gas flow is guided over the process zone to remove spatters and fumes. This flow induces a convective heat transfer from the molten metal to the gas, which, depending on the level of the heat flow, may alter the melt pool dimensions by influencing the cooling rate. The present work investigated these phenomena with single-line trials, both experimentally and numerically. For this reason, a smoothed-particle hydrodynamics model was utilized to investigate the temperatures of the melt pool, cooling rates, and the integral heat balance with various gas atmospheres. In parallel, an on-axis pyrometer was set up on an experimental PBF-LB/M machine to capture the surface emissions of the melt pool. The atmosphere in the simulations and experiments was varied between argon, helium, and two mixtures thereof. The results showed a slight increase in the cooling rates with an increasing fraction of helium in the process gas. Consistently, a slight decrease in the melt pool temperatures and dimensions was found.

Thermal Stress Analysis of Compact Heat Exchanger Produced by Additive Manufacturing

Abstract Compact heat exchangers are renowned for their high heat transfer rates and efficiency, achieved by incorporating mini and micro-channels in their core design. However, operating under conditions of high-pressure fluctuations and significant temperature differences between hot and cold streams can potentially induce fatigue failure. To the best of our knowledge, this study represents the first investigation into the thermal stresses experienced by heat exchanger samples manufactured by selective laser melting technology, focusing on circular channels. Experiments were conducted using hot water in the inner channel, while the remaining channels and the sample surface were subjected to natural convection in ambient air. Strain gauges, thermocouples, and RTDs were employed to measure strain and temperature variations over time. These data were utilized as inputs for a numerical model based on finite element method. The strain measurements were compared with those obtained from the numerical model, revealing an average difference of approximately 20%. Lastly, a thermal fatigue analysis based on the maximum equivalent stresses predicted by the numerical model is presented. The evaluation considered both S-N curves: outlined in the ASME standard and the one obtained with specimens produced through selective laser melting. In the case of circular channels manufactured through additive manufacturing evaluated in this work, thermal stresses alone are insufficient to cause component failure due to fatigue. However, significant pressure cycles superimposed on the model can reverse this situation, making the combined effect of thermal and mechanical stresses influential in determining the component's fatigue behavior.

Bilateral Embedded Anchoring via Tailored Polymer Brush for Large‐Area Air‐Processed Blue Light‐Emitting Diodes

AbstractPerovskite light‐emitting diodes (PeLEDs) that can be air‐processed promises the development of displaying optoelectronic device, while is challenged by technical difficulty on both the active layer and hole transport layer (HTL) caused by the unavoidable humidity interference. Here, we propose and validate that, planting the polymer brush with tailored functional groups in inorganic HTL, provides unique bilateral embedded anchoring that is capable of simultaneously addressing the n phases crystallization rates in the active layer as well as the deteriorated particulate surface defects in HTL. Exemplified by zwitterionic polyethyleneimine‐sulfonate (PEIS) in present study, its implanting in NiOx HTL offers abundant nuclei sites of amino and sulfonate groups that balance the growth rate of different n phases in quasi‐2D perovskite films. Moreover, the PEIS effectively nailed the interfacial contact between perovskite and NiOx, and reduced the particulate surface defects in HTL, leading to the enhanced PLQY and stability of large‐area blue perovskite film in ambient air. By virtue of these merits, present work achieves the first demonstration of the air‐processed blue PeLEDs in large emitting area of 1.0 cm2 with peak external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 2.09 %, which is comparable to the similar pure‐bromide blue PeLEDs fabricated in glovebox.

Interactive effect of air pollution and genetic risk of depression on processing speed by resting-state functional connectivity of occipitoparietal network

BackgroundAir pollution, a reversible environmental factor, was significantly associated with the cognitive domains that are impaired in major depressive disorder (MDD), notably processing speed. Limited evidence explores the interactive effect of air pollution and the genetic risk of depression on cognition. This cross-sectional study aims to extend the research by specifically examining how this interaction influences depression-related cognitive impairment and resting-state brain function.MethodsEligible participants were 497 healthy adult volunteers (48.7% males, mean age 24.5) living in Beijing for at least 1 year and exposed to relatively high air pollution from the local community controlling for socioeconomic and genomic. Six months’ ambient air pollution exposures were assessed based on residential addresses using monthly averages of fine particulate matter with a diameter of less than or equal to 2.5 μm (PM2.5). A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and cognitive performance assessments. The polygenic risk score (PRS) of MDD was used to estimate genetic susceptibility.ResultsUsing a general linear model and partial least square regression, we observed a negative association between resting-state local connectivity in precuneus and PRS-by-PM2.5 interactive effect (PFWE = 0.028), indicating that PM2.5 exposure reduced the spontaneous activity in precuneus in individuals at high genetic risk for MDD. DNA methylation and gene expression of the SLC30A3 gene, responsible for maintaining zinc-glutamate homeostasis, was suggestively associated with this local connectivity. For the global functional connectivity, the polygenic risk for MDD augmented the neural impact of PM2.5 exposure, especially in the frontal-parietal and frontal-limbic regions of the default mode network (PFDR < 0.05). In those genetically predisposed to MDD, increased PM2.5 exposure positively correlated with resting-state functional connectivity between the left angular gyrus and left cuneus gyrus. This connectivity was negatively associated with processing speed.ConclusionsOur cross-sectional study suggests that air pollution may be associated with an increased likelihood of cognitive impairment in individuals genetically predisposed to depression, potentially through alterations in the resting-state function of the occipitoparietal and default mode network.

Association between Short-Term Exposure to Ambient Air Pollution and Mortality from Cardiovascular Diseases in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Association between Short-Term Exposure to Ambient Air Pollution and Mortality from Cardiovascular Diseases in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Geospatial modelling of ambient air pollutants and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases at regional scale in Pakistan.

Pakistan is among the South Asian countries mostly vulnerable to the negative health impacts of air pollution. In this context, the study aimed to analyze the spatiotemporal patterns of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) incidence and its relationship with air pollutants including aerosol absorbing index (AAI), carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide (SO2), and nitrogen dioxide. Spatial scan statistics were employed to identify temporal, spatial, and spatiotemporal clusters of COPD. Generalized linear regression (GLR) and random forest (RF) models were utilized to evaluate the linear and non-linear relationships between COPD and air pollutants for the years 2019 and 2020. The findings revealed three spatial clusters of COPD in the eastern and central regions, with a high-risk spatiotemporal cluster in the east. The GLR identified a weak linear relationship between the COPD and air pollutants with R2 = 0.1 and weak autocorrelation with Moran's index = -0.09. The spatial outcome of RF model provided more accurate COPD predictions with improved R2 of 0.8 and 0.9 in the respective years and a very low Moran's I = -0.02 showing a random residual distribution. The RF findings also suggested AAI and SO2 to be the most contributing predictors for the year 2019 and 2020. Hence, the strong association of COPD clusters with some air pollutants highlight the urgency of comprehensive measures to combat air pollution in the region to avoid future health risks.

Association between ambient air pollution and respiratory health in Kampala, Uganda: Implications for policy and practice

Ambient air pollution and weather have an impact on respiratory diseases. This study analysed effects of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) on monthly respiratory-related healthcare facility visits and admissions (herein referred to as events) in Kampala, whilst considering meteorological factors.Monthly healthcare facility events for neonatal pneumonia, asthma, pneumonia and COPD between 2019 and 2020 were retrospectively extracted from the District Health Information Software 2. PM2.5 and meteorological data were obtained from 45 monitoring stations and 5 weather stations in Kampala. Associations between air pollution and healthcare facility events were examined using generalised additive models (GAM) adjusted for rainfall, temperature and humidity.Multivariate analysis showed positive association between monthly PM2.5 with healthcare facility visits due to asthma (incident rate ratio-IRR = 1.007, 95 % CI: 1.002–1.013; p < 0.05) and admissions due to pneumonia (IRR = 1.007, 95 % CI: 1.001–1.013; p < 05). Healthcare facility events were associated with PM2.5 (IRR = 1.005; 95 % CI: 1.002–1.009; p < 0.05) and relative humidity (EDF = 1.000; p < 0.05).PM2.5 impacted on healthcare facility events in Kampala and association was influenced by meteorological factors. However, lack of data for daily healthcare facility events could have affected accuracy of the impact therefore further analyses are needed. Our characterisation could support facilities in development of early warning tools for air pollution events.

Stable and sustainable perovskite solar modules by optimizing blade coating nickel oxide deposition over 15 × 15 cm2 area

Perovskite solar cells have rapidly advanced, achieving over 26% power conversion efficiency on the laboratory scale. However, transitioning to large-scale production remains a challenge due to limitations in conventional fabrication methods like spin coating. Here, we introduce an optimized blade coating process for the scalable fabrication of large-area (15 cm × 15 cm) perovskite solar modules with a nickel oxide hole transport layer, performed in ambient air and utilizing a non-toxic solvent system. Self-assembled monolayers between the nickel oxide and perovskite layer improve the uniformity and morphology of the perovskite film. Perovskite solar modules with a 110 cm2 active area achieve a power conversion efficiency of 12.6%. Moreover, encapsulated modules retained 84% of their initial efficiency after 1,000 hours at 85 °C in air (ISOS-T-1). This study demonstrates progress in the large-scale production of perovskite solar cells that combine efficiency with long-term stability.

Enhanced Peltier refrigerator using an innovative hot-side heat-rejection mechanism; Experimental study under both transient and steady-state conditions

Peltier refrigerators are an environmentally friendly cooling method, as they require no refrigerants and have no moving parts. However, effective cooling requires optimal-strong heat rejection from the hot side of the Peltier module. This research proposes and tests a self-capillary ultra-thin (0.1 mm) water-attracting coated PVC membrane (SCCP) as an innovative effective heat rejection mechanism. The SCCP cools the hot side of the Peltier module to temperatures even lower than ambient air, without external power. The cooling effect is achieved through the evaporation of a thin water film on the hot surface, driven by capillary action, which releases latent heat. This process can occur under natural or forced convection, both of which are investigated under various voltage and temperature conditions. The SCCP method was compared to traditional heatsinks and showed superior performance, with the hot side temperature being not only cooler than that in heatsink mode but also cooler than the ambient temperature in most cases. Additionally, the SCCP method demonstrated reduced sensitivity to ambient temperature changes, with only a 2–3° increase in the hot side temperature when the ambient temperature was raised by 10°. The findings suggest that SCCP is a promising technique, with further results discussed.

Superior stabilized α-FAPbI3 perovskite solar cells with efficiency exceeding 24 %

-Fabrication of a stabilized black phase of formamidinium triiodide perovskite film is a critical issue to warrant efficient perovskite solar cells with considerable intrinsic and external stability. To address this obstacle, the study focuses on assembling α-FAPbI3 perovskite solar cells. To realize a stabilized α-FAPbI3, a δ-FAPbI3 film was annealed at 150 °C at ambient air with a humidity level of 25 % to convert α-FAPbI3. Then, this δ→α FAPbI3 was crushed, and some of it was added to a fresh FAPbI3 perovskite precursor to fabricate desirable α-FAPbI3 layers. The cost-effective method, along with the stabilization of α-FAPbI3, showed a high ability to promote charge transfer and suppress trap transitions in the perovskite layer. The engineered perovskite solar cells recorded a considerable filling factor of 82.89 % with a champion efficiency of 24.16 %, higher than the recorded efficiency of 21.25 %. In addition, the robust stability enables the FAPbI3 solar cells to work steadily for more than 1200 h under simulated sunlight irradiance with just an 8 % loss in their performance.

Ozone sensitivity to high energy demand day electricity and onroad emissions during LISTOS

ABSTRACT Using a high-resolution, 1.33 km by 1.33 km coupled Weather Research and Forecasting-Community Multi-scale Air Quality Model (WRF-CMAQ), we quantify the impact of emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) from high energy demand day (HEDD) electricity generating units (EGU) and onroad vehicles on ambient ozone air quality in the Long Island Sound Tropospheric Ozone Study (LISTOS) region covering New York City (NYC); Long Island, NY; coastal Connecticut; and neighboring areas. We test sensitivity scenarios to quantify HEDD EGU NOx contributions to ozone: (1) zero out HEDD EGU emissions, (2) dispatch HEDD EGUs starting with the lowest NOx emitting units first, (3) reduce onroad emissions by 90%, (4) combine zero out HEDD EGU emissions and reducing onroad emissions by 90%, and (5) dispatch HEDD EGUs starting with the lowest emitting units coupled with a reduction in onroad emissions by 90%. Results determine that HEDD EGUs lead to highly localized impacts on ambient concentrations of ozone while onroad emission reductions lead to large-scale regional concentration impacts. Further, reducing onroad emissions by 90% leads to spatially smaller VOC-limited regions and spatially larger transitional and NOX-limited regions around NYC. Despite the limited scale at which the EGU emission reductions occur, modifying HEDD EGU NOX emissions still provides substantial benefits in reducing ozone concentrations in the region, particularly at elevated ozone concentrations above 70 ppb. Implications: High-resolution coupled meteorology-chemistry modeling was used to quantify the impacts of high energy demand day (HEDD) electricity generating units (EGUs) and onroad transportation emissions changes on ozone air quality in the LISTOS region. Despite being highly localized and variable, HEDD EGUs NOX emissions sensitivity tests led to quantifiable changes in ozone. Further, reducing onroad emissions by 90% produced large decreases in ozone concentrations and led to a more NOX-sensitive ozone photochemical regime. With a transition to greater NOX-sensitivity, urban NOX-titration weakens and ozone is more likely to decline with the removal of additional NOX from sources like HEDD EGUs.

Development and characterization of atmospheric pressure gliding Arc plasma jet

In this work, we present the development and comprehensive characterization of an atmospheric pressure gliding arc plasma jet (GAPJ) operating in ambient air to generate non-thermal plasma. Through systematic investigation, the relationship between jet length and airflow rate indicates a positive correlation. Electrical and optical techniques are utilized to characterize the discharge, revealing an impact of applied voltage and gas flow rate on discharge parameters. Calculations are made for parameters such as electron density ((0.62−3.44)×1019) m −3, average power dissipation (9.85−40.50) W, and root mean square values of current and voltage. The impacts of applied voltages and gas flow rate on these parameters are also examined. Electron excitation temperature is determined using the Boltzmann plot method, yielding values within the range of (1.36−1.44) eV. Rotational and vibrational temperatures of discharge are analyzed, revealing values of (1373−2065) K and (2700−2405) K, respectively, under different operational conditions. The generated non-thermal plasma is confined to form a plasma plume although it consists of two diverging electrodes and offers promising applications for specified areas of sterilization and decontamination in the medical, pharmaceutical, and food processing industries.

Optimization and simulation of a novel multi-energy complementary heat pump system in cold regions

Solar-assisted ground source heat pump systems(SAGSHPSs) and solar- assisted air source heat pump systems (SAASHPSs) are recognized renewable energy technologies for clean and feasible heating and domestic hot water supply. However, in cold regions, the poor thermal comfort of SAASHPSs and the soil thermal imbalance of SAGSHPSs during heating periods must be resolved urgently. Therefore, to provide an efficient and stable heat source, a multi-energy complementary heat pump system(MECHPS) with seasonal heat storage was designed to meet the needs of building energy consumption. The system comprehensively utilizes solar energy and ambient air for seasonal heat storage during non-heating periods, and then directly provides heat coupled with the ground source heat pump during heating periods. The composition and control strategy of the system were introduced. The system was numerically modeled by the simulation software Transient System Simulation Program (TRNSYS), and the main MECHPS modules were experimentally verified. Additionally, to study the optimal capacity of MECHPS in terms of economy and energy savings, the Hooke-Jeeves algorithm was used for MECHPS capacity optimization with the objectives of minimising the annual cost and maximising the annual savings of standard coal. The results showed that compared with traditional SAASHPSs, the MECHPS exhibited better thermal comfort while maintaining the room temperature above 18 °C. Compared to SAGSHPSs, the MECHPS was able to achieve soil thermal balance, and its soil temperature remained largely constant after 15 years of operation. Finally, compared with the initial scheme, the annual cost reduction rate was 4.98 % under the annual cost optimization scheme and an additional 1310 kg of standard coal could be saved under the annual savings of standard coal optimization scheme. The proposed system provides a way to satisfy the building energy supply for widespread application in cold regions.

Extending The Calendar Life of Fiber Lithium-Ion Batteries to 200 Days with Ultra-High Barrier Polymer Tubes.

Scalable fiber lithium-ion batteries (FLIBs) have garnered significant attention due to huge potential applications in wearable technology. However, their widespread applications have been limited by inadequate cycle and calendar life, primarily due to the high permeability of the encapsulation layer to water vapor in ambient air. To address this challenge, an ultra-high barrier composite tube is developed by blending polytrifluorochloroethylene (PCTFE) with organically modified montmorillonite (OMMT) for the continuous packaging of FLIBs. Due to the high crystallinity (≈40.21%) and small free volume (103.443 Å3), the PCTFE tube exhibited a low water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) of 0.123 mgday-1pkg-1. Furthermore, through the melt extrusion, OMMT with its plate-like morphology are fully exfoliated and dispersed within the PCTFE matrix. This created more complex pathways for water, increasing the diffusion path length and thereby reducing WVTR to 0.006 mgday-1pkg-1. This innovation enabled an ultra-long calendar life of 200 days and cycle life of 870 cycles for FLIBs, with over 80% capacity retention in ambient air. Additionally, 2%OMMT-PCTFE-FLIBs exhibited excellent flexibility, retaining an impressive 85.31% capacity after 10000 bending cycles. This research presents a simple yet effective approach to enhance the lifetime and practicality of FLIBs through building a high-performance polymer-based encapsulation layer.

Ageing of commercial austenitic, martensitic and duplex stainless steel surfaces after formation of laser-induced periodic surface structures by fs-laser irradiation

The time-dependent wetting behavior was investigated for commercially available austenitic, martensitic and duplex stainless steel surfaces after femtosecond (fs) laser irradiation. For this purpose, highly regular LIPSS with almost identical geometric properties were generated on the stainless steels in an air environment by near-infrared fs-laser processing (λ = 1025 nm, τ = 300 fs, frep = 100 kHz, v = 0.67 m/s, Δx = 6 μm, F = 1.1 J/cm2) and compared to the polished initial surfaces as reference. The wetting with distilled water was evaluated as a function of aging time by contact angle measurements using the sessile drop method. The laser-induced morphological, topographical and chemical alteration of the surface was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, glow-discharge optical emission spectroscopy as well as high-resolution imaging and scanning transmission electron microscopy. Despite an almost identical LIPSS-based topography alteration, the stainless steels revealed very different ageing behavior. For permanently used samples, it was shown that the ageing effect is less pronounced than for samples that were stored in ambient air following fs-laser irradiation until the wetting measurement. The results obtained make an important contribution to understanding and controlling the ageing effect of metal surfaces and thus facilitate the transfer of LIPSS-based functional surface engineering and design to industrial processes.

The Impact of Ambient Air Pollution on Allergic Rhinitis Symptoms: A Prospective Follow-Up Study.

Air pollution has become a serious public health problem and there is evidence that air pollution affects the incidence of allergic rhinitis. To further investigate the effect of ambient air pollutants on the severity of allergic rhinitis symptoms, a prospective follow-up study in patients with allergic rhinitis was conducted. A total of 167 allergic rhinitis patients with a mean age of 35.4 years, who were visiting the hospital, were enrolled. The daily symptom severity of allergic rhinitis and the concentrations of six air pollutants, including PM2.5, PM10, SO2, CO, O3 and NO2, were collected through follow-up investigations. The impact of ambient air pollutants on symptom severity was assessed via multi-pollutant models. Among several typical ambient air pollutants, we observed correlations of allergic rhinitis symptoms with PM2.5, PM10, CO, SO2 and NO2, whereas O3 showed no such correlation. Specifically, PM2.5 and PM10 were significantly associated with sneezing and nasal blockage. NO2 was significantly correlated with symptoms of rhinorrhea, itchy nose and itchy eyes. CO was significantly linked to sneezing and nasal blockage symptoms. These air pollutants not only had a direct impact on allergic rhinitis symptoms but also exhibited a lagging effect. This study indicates that short-term exposure to air pollutants is associated with exacerbation of nasal symptoms in patients with allergic rhinitis, leading to a decline in their quality of life.