Applications of variational methods to some three-point boundary value problems with instantaneous and noninstantaneous impulses

In this paper, we study the multiple solutions for some second-order p-Laplace differential equations with three-point boundary conditions and instantaneous and noninstantaneous impulses. By applying the variational method and critical point theory the multiple solutions are obtained in a Sobolev space. Compared with other local boundary value problems, the three-point boundary value problem is less studied by variational method due to its variational structure. Finally, two examples are given to illustrate the results of multiplicity

Decisions for Others Are Less Risk-Averse in the Gain Frame and Less Risk-Seeking in the Loss Frame Than Decisions for the Self

Despite the fact that people make decisions for others as often as they make decisions for themselves, little is known about how decisions for others are different from those made for the self. In two experiments, we investigated the effect of social distance (i.e., making decisions for oneself, a friend, or a stranger) on risk preferences in both gain and loss situations. We found that people were more risk averse in gain situations when they made decisions for themselves than for a stranger (Studies 1 and 2), but were equally risk averse for themselves and their friends (Study 2). However, people were more risk seeking in loss situations when they made decisions for themselves than for their friends as well as for a stranger, and were more risk seeking for their friends than for a stranger (Study 2). Furthermore, the effect of social distance on risk preferences was stronger in loss than in gain situations. Mediation analysis indicated that outcome-induced loss aversion was responsible for effects of social distance on risk preferences. These findings demonstrate that social distance influences risk preferences via perceived loss aversion, which sheds new light on self-other differences in decision making

A Carrier Class IoT Service Architecture Integrating IMS with SWE

Integrating the sensing capabilities of wireless sensor network (WSN) into the traditional telecom network is an important stage to realize future ubiquitous intelligence in the Internet of Things. Driven by the vision of service oriented architecture (SOA), this paper proposed a carrier class Internet of Things (IoT) service architecture named as MUSE. MUSE integrates WSN with IMS OSE framework to enable the WSN services to be operable and manageable. Also sensor web enablement (SWE) framework is adopted to shield the heterogeneity of different WSNs. MUSE consists of two key entities—MUSE Enabler and MUSE Gateway. On the one hand, the architecture promotes the node manageability and enriches the diversity of high level task planning flexibility. On the other hand, the architecture extends the telecom context-aware service and realizes service operability and network scalability. Moreover, the key components of the architecture and the detailed service procedure were introduced in the paper. Besides, an intelligent building prototype with 20 nodes was illustrated and the feasibility and performance of MUSE were verified at last

D-A Copolymer Donor Based on Bithienyl Benzodithiophene D-Unit and Monoalkoxy Bifluoroquinoxaline A-Unit for High-Performance Polymer Solar Cells

Molecular frontier orbital energy level and aggregation behavior regulation of polymer donors are feasible ways to improve the photovoltaic performance of polymer solar cells (PSCs). Here, we design and synthesize a new D-A copolymer donor PBQ10 based on bithienyl benzodithiophene D-unit and monoalkoxy-substituted bifluoroquinoxaline A-unit, which shows an obviously downshifted highest occupied molecular orbital energy level in comparison with the control polymer PBQ7 with a dialkoxyphenyl substituent on the bifluoroquinoxa-line A-unit. Moreover, PBQ10 exhibits more preferential face-on molecular orientation and tighter pi-pi stacking in the vertical direction of the substrate than PBQ7, which significantly improves the hole mobility of PBQ10 to 5.22 X 10(-4) cm(2) V-1 s(-1) in comparison with that (1.71 x 10(-4) cm(2) s(-1)) of PBQ7. As a result, the PBQ10-based PSC with Y6 as the acceptor demonstrates an impressive power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 16.34% with simultaneously increased open-circuit voltage and fill factor, which is significantly increased compared with the PBQ7-based PSC with a PCE of 13.45% and is one of the highest PCEs in binary PSCs. The result suggests that rational side-chain optimization of the polymer donor is an efficient way to regulate the molecular energy level and self-assembly feature and thus to improve the PCE of PSCs

High Efficiency Polymer Solar Cells with Efficient Hole Transfer at Zero Highest Occupied Molecular Orbital Offset between Methylated Polymer Donor and Brominated Acceptor

Achieving efficient charge transfer at small frontier molecular orbital offsets between donor and acceptor is crucial for high performance polymer solar cells (PSCs). Here we synthesize a new wide band gap polymer donor, PTQ11, and a new low band gap acceptor, TPT10, and report a high power conversion efficiency (PCE) PSC (PCE = 16.32%) based on PTQ11-TPT10 with zero HOMO (the highest occupied molecular orbital) offset (Delta EHOMO(D-A)). TPT10 is a derivative of Y6 with monobromine instead of bifluorine substitution, and possesses upshifted lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energy level (E-LUMO) of -3.99 eV and E-HOMO of -5.52 eV than Y6. PTQ11 is a derivative of low cost polymer donor PTQ10 with methyl substituent on its quinoxaline unit and shows upshifted E-HOMO of -5.52 eV, stronger molecular crystallization, and better hole transport capability in comparison with PTQ10. The PSC based on PTQ11-TPT10 shows highly efficient exciton dissociation and hole transfer, so that it demonstrates a high PCE of 16.32% with a higher V-oc of 0.88 V, a large J(sc) of 24.79 mA cm(-2), and a high FF of 74.8%, despite the zero Delta EHOMO(D-A) value between donor PTQ11 and acceptor TPT10. The PCE of 16.32% is one of the highest efficiencies in the PSCs. The results prove the feasibility of efficient hole transfer and high efficiency for the PSCs with zero Delta EHOMO(D-A), which is highly valuable for understanding the charge transfer process and achieving high PCE of PSCs

Achieving Fast Charge Separation and Low Nonradiative Recombination Loss by Rational Fluorination for High-Efficiency Polymer Solar Cells

Four low-cost copolymer donors of poly(thiophene-quinoxaline) (PTQ) derivatives are demonstrated with different fluorine substitution forms to investigate the effect of fluorination forms on charge separation and voltage loss (V-loss) of the polymer solar cells (PSCs) with the PTQ derivatives as donor and a A-DA'D-A-structured molecule Y6 as acceptor. The four PTQ derivatives are PTQ7 without fluorination, PTQ8 with bifluorine substituents on its thiophene D-unit, PTQ9, and PTQ10 with monofluorine and bifluorine substituents on their quinoxaline A-unit respectively. The PTQ8- based PSC demonstrates a low power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 0.90% due to the mismatch in the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy levels alignment between the donor and acceptor. In contrast, the devices based on PTQ9 and PTQ10 show enhanced charge-separation behavior and gradually reduced V-loss, due to the gradually reduced nonradiative recombination loss in comparison with the PTQ7-based device. As a result, the PTQ10-based PSC demonstrates an impressive PCE of 16.21% with high open-circuit voltage and large short-circuit current density simultaneously, and its V-loss is reduced to 0.549 V. The results indicate that rational fluorination of the polymer donors is a feasible method to achieve fast charge separation and low V-loss simultaneously in the PSCs

Rapidly decreased HBV RNA predicts responses of pegylated interferons in HBeAg-positive patients: a longitudinal cohort study

BACKGROUND: As an important anti-HBV drug, pegylated interferon α (PegIFNα) offers promising clinical efficacy, but biomarkers that accurately forecast treatment responses are yet to be elucidated. Here, we evaluated whether HBV RNA could act as an early monitor of pegylated interferon responses. METHODS: We analyzed a phase 3, multicenter, randomized cohort of 727 HBeAg-positive non-cirrhotic patients receiving a 48-week treatment of PegIFNα-2a or PegIFNα-2b and a 24-week treatment-free follow-up. Serum levels of HBV RNA, HBV DNA, HBeAg, and HBsAg were measured at weeks 0, 12, 24, 48, and 72. RESULTS: HBeAg seroconversion and HBsAg loss at week 72 were observed in 217 (29.8%) and 21 (2.9%) patients, respectively. During the 48-week treatment, HBV RNA decreased more rapidly than HBV DNA and HBsAg, but HBV RNA and HBeAg shared similar dynamics with positive correlations. Multivariate regression analyses consistently revealed the significance of HBV RNA at weeks 0, 12, 24, and 48 to monitor HBeAg seroconversion but not HBsAg loss. Although baseline HBV RNA only showed a modest AUC performance, HBV RNA with a significant increase of AUC at week 12 outperformed other HBV biomarkers to forecast HBeAg seroconversion (p value < 0.05). HBV RNA ≤ 1000 copies/mL was an optimized cutoff at week 12 that offered better prediction than other HBV biomarkers. This optimized cutoff plus patient age, HBV genotype B, and HBeAg offered a strong estimation of HBeAg seroconversion (accuracy 95.2%, true negative rate 99.8%). CONCLUSION: HBV RNA at week 12 is an effective monitor of HBeAg seroconversion in HBeAg-positive patients treated with pegylated interferons.status: publishe