Road traffic crashes among farm vehicle drivers in southern China: A cross-sectional survey

<p><b>Objective</b>: The objective of this study was to identify the prevalence and potential risk factors of farm vehicle–related road traffic crashes among farm vehicle drivers in southern China.</p> <p><b>Methods</b>: A cross-sectional study was used to interview 1,422 farm vehicle drivers in southern China. Farm vehicle–related road traffic crashes that occurred from December 2013 to November 2014 were investigated. Data on farm vehicle–related road traffic crashes and related factors were collected by face-to-face interviews.</p> <p><b>Results</b>: The prevalence of farm vehicle–related road traffic crashes among the investigated drivers was 7.2%. Farm vehicle–related road traffic crashes were significantly associated with self-reported vision problem (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 6.48, 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.86–10.87), self-reported sleep disorders (AOR = 10.03, 95% CI, 6.28–15.99), self-reported stress (AOR = 20.47, 95% CI, 9.96–42.08), reported history of crashes (AOR = 5.40, 95% CI, 3.47–8.42), reported history of drunk driving (AOR = 5.07, 95% CI, 2.97–8.65), and reported history of fatigued driving (AOR = 5.72, 95% CI, 3.73–8.78). The number of road traffic crashes was highest in the daytime and during harvest season. In over 96% of farm vehicle–related road traffic crashes, drivers were believed to be responsible for the crash. Major crash-causing factors included improper driving, careless driving, violating of traffic signals or signs, and being in the wrong lane.</p> <p><b>Conclusion</b>: Findings of this study suggest that farm vehicle–related road traffic crashes have become a burgeoning public health problem in China. Programs need to be developed to prevent farm vehicle–related road traffic crashes in this emerging country.</p

Protein-Assisted Assembly of π‑Conjugated Polymers

In an aqueous suspension process, protein dispersions facilitated improved alignment and organization of poly­(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) chains into highly ordered crystalline structures. A solution of P3HT in 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene (TCB) was added to an aqueous dispersion of the hydrophobin, Cerato ulmin (CU). Upon gentle agitation, the semiconductor solution was readily confined within CU membrane-stabilized microstructures, often with extended shapes. UV–vis and polarized micro-Raman spectroscopy suggested complex, enhanced molecular alignment due to a transition from isotropic to liquid crystalline fluid to polycrystalline states. Grazing-incidence X-ray diffraction corroborates this interpretation. On aging, the initial CU:P3HT/TCB structures develop dendritic architectures that slowly release polymer-containing capsules. The counterintuitive evolution from large structures to smaller ones suggests the initial structures were nonequilibrium, and it opens the door to latex-like processing of semiconducting polymers into crystalline, high-performance thin films for device applications. Preliminary studies using an organic field-effect transistor architecture suggest that optimized processing and device configuration will enable highly crystalline active materials with efficient charge transport characteristics

Protein-Assisted Assembly of π‑Conjugated Polymers

In an aqueous suspension process, protein dispersions facilitated improved alignment and organization of poly­(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) chains into highly ordered crystalline structures. A solution of P3HT in 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene (TCB) was added to an aqueous dispersion of the hydrophobin, Cerato ulmin (CU). Upon gentle agitation, the semiconductor solution was readily confined within CU membrane-stabilized microstructures, often with extended shapes. UV–vis and polarized micro-Raman spectroscopy suggested complex, enhanced molecular alignment due to a transition from isotropic to liquid crystalline fluid to polycrystalline states. Grazing-incidence X-ray diffraction corroborates this interpretation. On aging, the initial CU:P3HT/TCB structures develop dendritic architectures that slowly release polymer-containing capsules. The counterintuitive evolution from large structures to smaller ones suggests the initial structures were nonequilibrium, and it opens the door to latex-like processing of semiconducting polymers into crystalline, high-performance thin films for device applications. Preliminary studies using an organic field-effect transistor architecture suggest that optimized processing and device configuration will enable highly crystalline active materials with efficient charge transport characteristics

Protein-Assisted Assembly of π‑Conjugated Polymers

In an aqueous suspension process, protein dispersions facilitated improved alignment and organization of poly­(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) chains into highly ordered crystalline structures. A solution of P3HT in 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene (TCB) was added to an aqueous dispersion of the hydrophobin, Cerato ulmin (CU). Upon gentle agitation, the semiconductor solution was readily confined within CU membrane-stabilized microstructures, often with extended shapes. UV–vis and polarized micro-Raman spectroscopy suggested complex, enhanced molecular alignment due to a transition from isotropic to liquid crystalline fluid to polycrystalline states. Grazing-incidence X-ray diffraction corroborates this interpretation. On aging, the initial CU:P3HT/TCB structures develop dendritic architectures that slowly release polymer-containing capsules. The counterintuitive evolution from large structures to smaller ones suggests the initial structures were nonequilibrium, and it opens the door to latex-like processing of semiconducting polymers into crystalline, high-performance thin films for device applications. Preliminary studies using an organic field-effect transistor architecture suggest that optimized processing and device configuration will enable highly crystalline active materials with efficient charge transport characteristics