Effects of personality traits and sociocognitive determinants on risky riding behaviors among Chinese e-bikers

Objective: In the last few decades, the growing popularity of e-bikes in China has raised public concerns regarding an increasing number of fatalities and injuries involving e-bikes. Although previous studies have explored the impacts of personality on driving behaviors of automobile drivers and motorcyclists, little attention has been paid to safety-related issues involving e-bikers from the aspect of their personality traits and sociocognitive variables. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of personality on e-bikers’ risk-taking behaviors and test the effectiveness of the model proposed by Ulleberg and Rundmo (2003) among e-bikers. Methods: Four hundred and five Chinese e-bikers aged 16 to 61 completed a self-administrated questionnaire, which included questions investigating their demographics, personality traits (anger, altruism, sensation-seeking, normlessness), risk perceptions, safety attitudes, and risky riding behaviors. The reliability and validity of all scales were first examined through reliability analysis and principal component analysis, respectively, and a structural equation model was developed and fitted to test the relationships among e-bikers’ personality traits, risk perceptions, safety attitudes, and risky riding. Results: A satisfactory level of reliability and validity was reached for all variables. Anger, altruism, sensation-seeking, and normlessness were all significantly related to e-bikers’ risk perceptions and unsafe riding, and only altruism correlated significantly to safety attitude. For 2 sociocognitive variables, safety attitudes was directly and negatively related to respondents’ risky riding, and risk perception only exerted impacts on riding behaviors by affecting safety attitudes. Conclusions: Personality traits of e-bikers impacted their riding behaviors both directly and indirectly, and sociocognitive variables played an intermediate role in the personality–behavior relationship. The results revealed the importance of personality traits in influencing e-bikers’ risky riding and also verified the applicability of the personality–behavior model proposed by Ulleberg and Rundmo (2003) among e-bikers. The findings of this study may provide an empirical basis for evidence-based safety interventions for e-bikers in China.</p

Segmentation and recognition of phonetic features in handwritten Pitman shorthand

Segmentation and recognition of phonetic features in handwritten Pitman shorthan

Prediction of Chinese drivers’ intentions to park illegally in emergency lanes: An application of the theory of planned behavior

<p><b>Objective:</b> Illegal parking in emergency lanes (paved highway shoulders) is becoming a serious road safety issue in China. The aim of this study was to (1) examine the utility of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) extended with descriptive norms, past behavior, facilitating and deterring circumstances, sensation seeking, and invulnerability in predicting Chinese drivers’ intentions toward illegal emergency lane parking; (2) investigate whether respondents’ demographic characteristics would impact their views toward the behavior and predictive patterns of intentions; and (3) identify significant predictors of intentions.</p> <p><b>Methods:</b> In this cross-sectional study, eligible respondents were all qualified Chinese drivers. A self-administered questionnaire was employed to collect data, including demographic information, descriptive norms, past behavior, facilitating and deterring circumstances, sensation-seeking, and scenario-based invulnerability combined with TPB constructs. Descriptive statistics, multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVAs), and a series of hierarchical multiple linear regression analyses were conducted in SPSS.</p> <p><b>Results:</b> A total of 435 qualified drivers (234 males and 201 females) with a mean age of 35.2 years (SD =10.3) were included in analysis. The descriptive analysis showed that most participants reported weak intentions (<i>M</i> = 2.35) to park illegally in emergency lanes with negative attitude (<i>M</i> = 3.19), low perceived support (<i>M</i> = 2.91), and high control (<i>M</i> = 5.08) over the behavior. The model succeeded in explaining 64% of the variance in intentions for the whole sample, and principal TPB components accounted for 21% of variance in intentions after demographic variables were controlled for. MANOVAs revealed that significant differences of respondents’ opinions toward illegal emergency lane parking were only found between better educated drivers (with college education background) and less-educated ones. Separate regression analyses revealed that the predictive pattern of better educated participants also differed significantly from that of less-educated ones.</p> <p><b>Conclusion:</b> The study revealed that perceived behavioral control, past behavior, facilitating circumstance, and invulnerability emerged as consistently significant predictors of Chinese drivers’ intentions to park illegally in emergency lanes. Findings of this study may have some practical implications in developing multifaceted interventions or education processes for illegal emergency lane parking in China.</p

A DP-like transcription factor protein interacts with E2fl1 to regulate meiosis in <i>Tetrahymena thermophila</i>

<p>Evolutionarily conserved E2F family transcription factors regulate the cell cycle via controlling gene expression in a wide range of eukaryotes. We previously demonstrated that the meiosis-specific transcription factor E2fl1 had an important role in meiosis in the model ciliate <i>Tetrahymena thermophila</i>. Here, we report that expression of another E2F family transcription factor gene <i>DPL2</i> correlates highly with that of <i>E2FL1</i>. Similar to <i>e2fl1</i>Δ cells, <i>dpl2</i>Δ cells undergo meiotic arrest prior to anaphase I, with the five chromosomes adopting an abnormal tandem arrangement. Immunofluorescence staining and immunoprecipitation experiments demonstrate that Dpl2 and E2fl1 form a complex during meiosis. We previously identified several meiotic regulatory proteins in <i>T. thermophila</i>. Cyc2 and Tcdk3 may cooperate to initiate meiosis and Cyc17 is essential for initiating meiotic anaphase. We investigate the relationship of these regulators with Dpl2 and E2fl1, and then construct a meiotic regulatory network by measuring changes in meiotic genes expression in knockout cells. We conclude that the E2fl1/Dpl2 complex plays a central role in meiosis in <i>T. thermophila.</i></p

Data_Sheet_1_Eucalyptus Plantation Age and Species Govern Soil Fungal Community Structure and Function Under a Tropical Monsoon Climate in China.pdf

Fungi perform crucial roles in nutrient cycles, but there is limited information on how soil fungal communities vary with stand age and tree species. Eucalyptus has been extensively planted in China, which has caused severe soil erosion and water deficiency due to short rotation management. In this study, the fungal community structure and potential function in Eucalyptus plantations with different ages (1–5+ years) and species (Eucalyptus urophylla × Eucalyptus grandis, Eucalyptus camaldulens, and Eucalyptus pellita) under a tropical monsoon climate in China were characterized by Illumina Miseq coupled with FUNGuild analysis. The results showed that the fungal alpha diversity decreased with an increase in the age of the plantation. Plantations of different ages and species formed distinct fungal communities and potential functional structures, respectively (p < 0.05), in which the age of the plantation contributed more to the variations. At high taxonomic levels, the soil fungal community changed from the dominance of orders belonging to Ascomycota (Pleosporales, Chaetothyriales, and Eurotiales) to orders belonging to Basidiomycota (Agaricales, Sebacinales, Cantharellales, and Russulales) with increasing plantation age. The community potential function shifted from the dominance of plant pathogens to a higher abundance of saprotrophs and symbiotrophs. The organic carbon of the soil was the key environmental driver to both the fungal community and potential functional structure. The results provide useful information on the importance of fungi for the management of Eucalyptus plantations.</p

Table_1_Association between activities of daily living and depressive symptoms among older adults in China: evidence from the CHARLS.DOCX

ObjectiveThe limitation of activities of daily living (ADL) affects the mental health of older adults. We distinguished activities of daily living into basic activities of daily living (BADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) and aimed to explore the relationship between the two limitations and depressive symptoms among Chinese older adults by using nationally representative cross-sectional data.MethodsData from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS, wave 4) were used, and 9,789 older adults aged 60 years and above were screened. The 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D-10) scale was used to measure the depressive symptoms of older adults, and a 12-item scale for ADL was used to estimate functional limitations. Generalized linear mixed-effect models were employed to examine the relationship between BADL/IADL and depressive symptoms among older adults.ResultsThe prevalence of high-risk depression among older adults was 43.5%, and the rates of limitation in BADL and IADL were 19.02 and 25.29%, respectively. The prevalence of high-risk depression significantly differed among subgroups of smoking, drinking, chronic diseases, duration of sleep, having social activities or not, and the type of medical insurance. Older adults with limited BADL or IADL were at a higher risk of depression than those without limitations of BADL or IADL; BADL (OR-adjusted = 2.71; 95% CI: 2.40–3.06) and IADL (OR-adjusted = 2.68; 95% CI: 2.41–2.98) had various influences on the risk of depression in older adults.ConclusionADL was a related factor in the risk of depression among older adults in China. BADL and IADL had different effects on the risk of depression, suggesting that older adults with physical function limitations might be more likely to suffer from depression.</p

SaBOX/Copper-Catalyzed Synthesis, Degradation, and Upcycling of a PMMA-Based Copolymer

The development of sustainable vinyl polymers that can be chemically recycled or upcycled is highly required but very challenging. Herein, we report the efficient synthesis, degradation, and upcycling of a high-molecular-weight PMMA-based copolymer completely made of a C–C-bonded backbone enabled by the same catalytic system (SaBOX/copper) under mild conditions for the first time. The atom transfer radical copolymerization (ATRcP) of MMA with α-chloroacrylate is conducted at 30 °C by the catalyst, producing linear PMMA with C–Cl bonds, which are thermally stable below 200 °C with Tg of 126 °C, exhibiting the thermophysical properties of commodity PMMA. At a higher temperature (≥65 °C), the catalyst could stimulate degradation at the position of the C–Cl bond, and the polymer chain is cleaved to give telechelic PMMA blocks with functional terminals. Remarkably, these blocks could be employed to readily prepare their parent copolymer, linear block copolymer, or novel branched block copolymer in the presence of a catalyst, realizing the chemical upcycling of a PMMA-based copolymer. Above all, catalysis plays a decisive role in these achievements, and strong catalyst effects are observed in the synthesis of degradable polymers, the degradation reactions, the structure of degradation products, and thus their upcycling. The SaBOX/copper catalytic system shows significant superiority over the copper catalysts commonly used in the literature

SaBOX/Copper-Catalyzed Synthesis, Degradation, and Upcycling of a PMMA-Based Copolymer

The development of sustainable vinyl polymers that can be chemically recycled or upcycled is highly required but very challenging. Herein, we report the efficient synthesis, degradation, and upcycling of a high-molecular-weight PMMA-based copolymer completely made of a C–C-bonded backbone enabled by the same catalytic system (SaBOX/copper) under mild conditions for the first time. The atom transfer radical copolymerization (ATRcP) of MMA with α-chloroacrylate is conducted at 30 °C by the catalyst, producing linear PMMA with C–Cl bonds, which are thermally stable below 200 °C with Tg of 126 °C, exhibiting the thermophysical properties of commodity PMMA. At a higher temperature (≥65 °C), the catalyst could stimulate degradation at the position of the C–Cl bond, and the polymer chain is cleaved to give telechelic PMMA blocks with functional terminals. Remarkably, these blocks could be employed to readily prepare their parent copolymer, linear block copolymer, or novel branched block copolymer in the presence of a catalyst, realizing the chemical upcycling of a PMMA-based copolymer. Above all, catalysis plays a decisive role in these achievements, and strong catalyst effects are observed in the synthesis of degradable polymers, the degradation reactions, the structure of degradation products, and thus their upcycling. The SaBOX/copper catalytic system shows significant superiority over the copper catalysts commonly used in the literature

Betavoltaic Enhancement Using Defect-Engineered TiO₂ Nanotube Arrays through Electrochemical Reduction in Organic Electrolytes

Utilizing high-energy beta particles emitted from radioisotopes for long-lifetime betavoltaic cells is a great challenge due to low energy conversion efficiency. Here, we report a betavoltaic cell fabricated using TiO2 nanotube arrays (TNTAs) electrochemically reduced in ethylene glycol electrolyte (EGECR-TNTAs) for the enhancement of the betavoltaic effect. The electrochemical reduction of TNTAs using high cathodic bias in organic electrolytes is indeed a facile and effective strategy to induce in situ self-doping of oxygen vacancy (OV) and Ti3+ defects. The black EGECR-TNTAs are highly stable with a significantly narrower band gap and higher electrical conductivity as well as UV–vis–NIR light absorption. A 20 mCi of 63Ni betavoltaic cell based on the reduced TNTAs exhibits a maximum ECE of 3.79% with open-circuit voltage of 1.04 V, short-circuit current density of 117.5 nA cm–2, and a maximum power density of 39.2 nW cm–2. The betavoltaic enhancement can be attributed to the enhanced charge carrier transport and separation as well as multiple exciton generation of electron–hole pairs due the generation of OV and Ti3+ interstitial bands below the conductive band of TiO2.</sub