High-Density Lignin-Derived Carbon Nanofiber Supercapacitors with Enhanced Volumetric Energy Density

Supercapacitors are increasingly used in short-distance electric transportation due to their long lifetime (≈15 years) and fast charging capability (>10 A g^{−1}). To improve their market penetration, while minimizing onboard weight and maximizing space-efficiency, materials costs must be reduced (8 Wh L^{−1}). Carbon nanofibers display good gravimetric capacitance, yet their marketability is hindered by their low density (0.05–0.1 g cm^{−3}). Here, the authors increase the packing density of low-cost, free-standing carbon nanofiber mats (from 0.1 to 0.6 g cm−3) through uniaxial compression. X-ray computed tomography reveals that densification occurs by reducing the inter-fiber pore size (from 1–5 µm to 0.2–0.5 µm), which are not involved in double-layer capacitance. The improved packing density is directly proportional to the volumetric performances of the device, which reaches a volumetric capacitance of 130 F cm^{−3} and energy density of 6 Wh L^{−1} at 0.1 A g^{−1} using a loading of 3 mg cm^{−2}. The results outperform most commercial and lab-scale porous carbons synthesized from bioresources (50–100 F cm^{−3}, 1–3 Wh L^{−1} using 10 mg cm^{−2}) and contribute to the scalable design of sustainable electrodes with minimal ‘dead volume’ for efficient supercapacitors

Does tinnitus depend on time-of-day? An ecological momentary assessment study with the “TrackYourTinnitus” application

Only few previous studies used ecological momentary assessments to explore the time-of-day-dependence of tinnitus. The present study used data from the mobile application “TrackYourTinnitus” to explore whether tinnitus loudness and tinnitus distress fluctuate within a 24-h interval. Multilevel models were performed to account for the nested structure of assessments (level 1: 17,209 daily life assessments) nested within days (level 2: 3,570 days with at least three completed assessments), and days nested within participants (level 3: 350 participants). Results revealed a time-of-day-dependence of tinnitus. In particular, tinnitus was perceived as louder and more distressing during the night and early morning hours (from 12 A.M. – 8 A.M.) than during the upcoming day. Since previous studies suggested that stress (and stress-associated hormones) show a circadian rhythm and this might influence the time-of-day-dependence of tinnitus, we evaluated whether the described results change when statistically controlling for subjectively reported stress-levels. Correcting for subjective stress-levels, however, did not change the result that tinnitus (loudness and distress) was most severe at night and early morning. These results show that time-of-day contributes to the level of both tinnitus loudness and tinnitus distress. Possible implications of our results for the clinical management of tinnitus are that tailoring the timing of therapeutic interventions to the circadian rhythm of individual patients (chronotherapy) might be promising

The progression of chronic tinnitus over the years

Little is known about the trajectory of tinnitus over time. This study addressed (1) how often tinnitus remitted in patients with chronic tinnitus; (2) how subjective reported tinnitus characteristics, such as loudness, laterality, and type and measures of burden, such as tinnitus distress, depression, and quality of life, changes over time; (3) how often tinnitus-specific treatments were undertaken and the prevalence of comorbidities, (4) if the number of treatments and comorbidities were associated to changes in tinnitus distress over time. Data from 388 patients with chronic tinnitus who visited a tertiary tinnitus clinic between 2012 and 2017 were interrogated via a mail survey in 2018. Tinnitus characteristics were measured with the Tinnitus Sample Case History Questionnaire and numeric rating scales; tinnitus distress with Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) and the Tinnitus Questionnaire (TQ), depression with the Major Depression Inventory and Quality of life with the World Health Organisation Quality of Life BREF at both time points and the clinical global impression scale. Comorbidities experienced and undertaken treatments were assessed with an in-house survey. Three participants (0.8% of the sample) reported tinnitus remission between both assessments. A decrease in the THI and TQ, and numeric ratings for tinnitus severity, annoyance, unpleasantness, and discomfort was observed, but no differences in tinnitus characteristics, depression, quality of life or overall health status. 64% presented at least one comorbidity, and 88% sought at least on tinnitus-specific treatment. Common comorbidities were psychological and sleeping problems, and the most common interventions were going to the dentist, taking medications, and wearing hearing aids. Our results suggest that full remission of tinnitus is a rare condition, that tinnitus distress on average decreases over time, and that tinnitus characteristics, quality of life, and depression tend to remain unaltered. The high number of interventions and comorbidities displayed minimal association to the changes in tinnitus distress, highlighting the substantial and durable burden of tinnitus sufferers

Lignin-derived electrospun freestanding carbons as alternative electrodes for redox flow batteries

Based on information provided the embargo period/end date is 12 monthsBased on information provided the embargo period/end date is 12 month

Equilibrium model selection: dTTP induced R1 dimerization

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Biochemical equilibria are usually modeled iteratively: given one or a few fitted models, if there is a lack of fit or over fitting, a new model with additional or fewer parameters is then fitted, and the process is repeated. The problem with this approach is that different analysts can propose and select different models and thus extract different binding parameter estimates from the same data. An alternative is to first generate a comprehensive standardized list of plausible models, and to then fit them exhaustively, or semi-exhaustively.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A framework is presented in which equilibriums are modeled as pairs (<it>g</it>, <it>h</it>) where <it>g </it>= 0 maps total reactant concentrations (system inputs) into free reactant concentrations (system states) which <it>h </it>then maps into expected values of measurements (system outputs). By letting dissociation constants <it>K</it>_{<it>d </it>}be either freely estimated, infinity, zero, or equal to other <it>K</it>_<it>d</it>, and by letting undamaged protein fractions be either freely estimated or 1, many <it>g </it>models are formed. A standard space of <it>g </it>models for ligand-induced protein dimerization equilibria is given. Coupled to an <it>h </it>model, the resulting (<it>g</it>, <it>h</it>) were fitted to dTTP induced R1 dimerization data (R1 is the large subunit of ribonucleotide reductase). Models with the fewest parameters were fitted first. Thereafter, upon fitting a batch, the next batch of models (with one more parameter) was fitted only if the current batch yielded a model that was better (based on the Akaike Information Criterion) than the best model in the previous batch (with one less parameter). Within batches models were fitted in parallel. This semi-exhaustive approach yielded the same best models as an exhaustive model space fit, but in approximately one-fifth the time.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Comprehensive model space based biochemical equilibrium model selection methods are realizable. Their significance to systems biology as mappings of data into mathematical models warrants their development.</p

LGP2 plays a critical role in sensitizing mda-5 to activation by double-stranded RNA.

The DExD/H box RNA helicases retinoic acid-inducible gene-I (RIG-I) and melanoma differentiation associated gene-5 (mda-5) sense viral RNA in the cytoplasm of infected cells and activate signal transduction pathways that trigger the production of type I interferons (IFNs). Laboratory of genetics and physiology 2 (LGP2) is thought to influence IFN production by regulating the activity of RIG-I and mda-5, although its mechanism of action is not known and its function is controversial. Here we show that expression of LGP2 potentiates IFN induction by polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid [poly(I:C)], commonly used as a synthetic mimic of viral dsRNA, and that this is particularly significant at limited levels of the inducer. The observed enhancement is mediated through co-operation with mda-5, which depends upon LGP2 for maximal activation in response to poly(I:C). This co-operation is dependent upon dsRNA binding by LGP2, and the presence of helicase domain IV, both of which are required for LGP2 to interact with mda-5. In contrast, although RIG-I can also be activated by poly(I:C), LGP2 does not have the ability to enhance IFN induction by RIG-I, and instead acts as an inhibitor of RIG-I-dependent poly(I:C) signaling. Thus the level of LGP2 expression is a critical factor in determining the cellular sensitivity to induction by dsRNA, and this may be important for rapid activation of the IFN response at early times post-infection when the levels of inducer are low

Bovine pericardium based non-cross linked collagen matrix for successful root coverage, a clinical study in human

Introduction: The aim of this study was to clinically assess the capacity of a novel bovine pericardium based, non-cross linked collagen matrix in root coverage. Methods: 62 gingival recessions of Miller class I or II were treated. The matrix was adapted underneath a coronal repositioned split thickness flap. Clinical values were assessed at baseline and after six months. Results: The mean recession in each patient was 2.2 mm at baseline. 6 Months after surgery 86.7% of the exposed root surfaces were covered. On average 0,3 mm of recession remained. The clinical attachment level changed from 3.5 ± 1.3 mm to 1,8 ( ± 0,7) mm during the observational time period. No statistically significant difference was found in the difference of probing depth. An increase in the width of gingiva was significant. With a baseline value of 1.5 ± 0.9 mm an improvement of 2.4 ± 0.8 mm after six month could be observed. 40 out of 62 recessions were considered a thin biotype at baseline. After 6 months all 62 sites were assessed thick. Conclusions: The results demonstrate the capacity of the bovine pericardium based non-cross linked collagen matrix for successful root coverage. This material was able to enhance gingival thickness and the width of keratinized gingiva. The percentage of root coverage achieved thereby is comparable to existing techniques. This method might contribute to an increase of patient's comfort and an enhanced aesthetical outcome

The Influence of Diet on Tinnitus Severity: Results of a Large-Scale, Online Survey

Optimization of dietary intake is an essential component in the multidimensional effort to prevent and manage chronic disease. Recently, demand has increased for nutrition-focused management strategies for chronic tinnitus. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate 10 dietary items for their association with changes in subjective tinnitus severity. A secondary aim was to develop an algorithm to better identify those individuals who might benefit from dietary modification strategies. A total of 5017 anonymous users of the TinnitusTalk forum completed an online survey regarding how various dietary items affected the severity of their tinnitus. Results suggest that, while intake of caffeine [positive effect (PE): 0.4%; negative effect (NE): 16.2%], alcohol (PE: 2.7%; NE: 13.3%, and salt (PE: 0.1%; NE: 9.9%) was most likely to influence tinnitus severity, it did so only for a small proportion of participants and reported effects were most commonly mild. Further, though a classification algorithm was able to leverage participant demographic, comorbidity, and tinnitus characteristics to identify those individuals most likely to benefit from dietary modification above chance levels, further efforts are required to achieve significant clinical utility. Taken together, these results do not support dietary modification as a primary treatment strategy for chronic tinnitus in the general population, though clinically meaningful effects might be observable in certain individuals

The beginning of time? Evidence for catastrophic drought in Baringo in the early nineteenth century

New developments in the collection of palaeo-data over the past two decades have transformed our understanding of climate and environmental history in eastern Africa. This article utilises instrumental and proxy evidence of historical lake-level fluctuations from Baringo and Bogoria, along with other Rift Valley lakes, to document the timing and magnitude of hydroclimate variability at decadal to century time scales since 1750. These data allow us to construct a record of past climate variation not only for the Baringo basin proper, but also across a sizable portion of central and northern Kenya. This record is then set alongside historical evidence, from oral histories gathered amongst the peoples of northern Kenya and the Rift Valley and from contemporary observations recorded by travellers through the region, to offer a reinterpretation of human activity and its relationship to environmental history in the nineteenth century. The results reveal strong evidence of a catastrophic drought in the early nineteenth century, the effects of which radically alters our historical understanding of the character of settlement, mobility and identity within the Baringo–Bogoria basin