UV-durable self-cleaning coatings for autonomous driving.

A key technology to ensure the safety and accuracy of autonomous driving for future transportation is the cleanliness of the sensor surfaces for accurate signal reading. This study focuses on hydrophobic coatings with self-cleaning performances and UV durability, their possible degradation mechanism of static water contact angle (sWCA), and the effect of the hydrophobic surface on camera image quality. The UV-durable hydrophobic coatings are applied by a spray process followed by a thermal curing.

Spousal bereavement and the cognitive health of older adults in the US: New insights on channels, single items, and subjective evidence.

This study provides novel insights into older adults' cognitive functioning before and after widowhood onset and possible effect channels. It further examines gender heterogeneity in the adaptation to (anticipated or actual) spousal bereavement, comparing objective evidence with subjective evidence of cognitive abilities. We used longitudinal data of up to 26,584 participants of the Health and Retirement Study, aged over 50 at recruitment, assessed biennially between 1998 and 2016.

[Clinical research for rehabilitation training combined with modified -acupuncture for joint dysfunction after meniscal suture surgery].

Objective: To compare the effects on joint dysfunction after meniscal suture surgery between rehabilitation training combined with modified -acupuncture and simple rehabilitation training.

Methods: Seventy-one patients with meniscal suture surgery were randomized into an observation group (=36) and a control group (=35). Patients in the observation group received modified -acupuncture combined with rehabilitation training.

Antioxidant and antitumor activities in vitro of polysaccharides from E. sipunculoides.

Three polysaccharides (SAP30, SAP60 and SAP80) were separated from the body of Edwardsia sipunculoides by tissue homogenate and papain hydrolysis. Total soluble sugar contents, monosaccharide compositions, antioxidant and antitumor activities in vitro of those polysaccharides were investigated, respectively. Results showed that the total soluble sugar contents of SAP composed of Man, GlcN, Rha, GalN, GlcUA, Glc, Gal, Xyl and Fuc were more than 85% estimated by the phenol-sulfuric acid assay.

Partial characterization, antioxidant and antitumor activities of polysaccharides from Philomycusbilineatus.

Four polysaccharides (PBP60-A, PBP60-B, PBP60-C and PBP60-D) were purified from slug (Philomycusbilineatus) by ion-exchange chromatography. The antioxidant activities were studied by ABTS, DPPH, hydroxyl radical, superoxide radical and reducing power assay. In vitro antitumor activities were evaluated by MTT assay.

Concentration and binary separation of micro particles for droplet-based digital microfluidics.

This paper describes a concept of concentration and binary separation of particles and its experimental confirmations for digital microfluidics where droplets are driven by the mechanism of electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD). As a fundamental separation unit, a binary separation scheme is developed, separating two different types of particles in one droplet into two droplets, one type each. The separation scheme consists of three distinctive steps, each with their own challenges: (1) isolate two different types of particles by electrophoresis into two regions inside a mother droplet, (2) physically split the mother droplet into two daughter droplets by EWOD actuation so that each type of particle is concentrated in each daughter droplet, and (3) free the daughter droplets from the separation site by EWOD to ready them for follow-up microfluidic operations.

Micro air bubble manipulation by electrowetting on dielectric (EWOD): transporting, splitting, merging and eliminating of bubbles.

This paper describes various manipulations of micro air bubbles using electrowetting on dielectric (EWOD): transporting, splitting, merging and eliminating. First, in order to understand the response of bubbles to EWOD, the contact angle modulation is measured in a capped air bubble and confirmed to be in good agreement with the Lippmann-Young equation until saturation. Based on the contact angle measurement, testing devices for the bubble manipulations are designed and fabricated.

Microparticle sampling by electrowetting-actuated droplet sweeping.

This paper describes a new microparticle sampler where particles can be efficiently swept from a solid surface and sampled into a liquid medium using moving droplets actuated by the electrowetting principle. We successfully demonstrate that super hydrophilic (2 microm and 7.9 microm diameter glass beads of about 14 degrees contact angle), intermediate hydrophilic (7.