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Individual humor tendencies or behaviors may change with age, but most studies have focused on school-aged children to college students and have rarely explored differences in humor style tendencies from adulthood to older age. The present study examines humor style differences among participants of different ages. This study hypothesizes that older adults are more likely to prefer positive and self-focused humor styles (self-enhancing humor style). A total of 407 participants of different ages and genders were recruited to investigate their humor style tendencies. The results show that men tend to prefer aggressive humor, while women tend to prefer affiliative humor. Interactions between age and humor styles were found. Further analyses show that adolescent to college-aged participants tend to use affiliative humor, adult participants tend to prefer both affiliative and self-enhancing humor, and older adults tend to use self-enhancing humor. In addition, individuals increasingly tend to prefer self-enhancing humor with age, and this tendency was strongest among the older adults, supporting our hypothesis. This study reveals not only significant gender differences but also age differences in humor style tendencies. Our findings clarify the relationship between humor and age and can serve as a basis for future research.

This paper describes the 1:1 scale application of Robotic Plaster Spraying (RPS), a novel, adaptive thin-layer printing technique, using cementitious base coat plaster, realized in a construction setting. In this technique, the print layers are vertical unlike most 3DCP processes. The goal is to explore the applicability and scalability of this spray-based printing technique. In this study, RPS is combined with an augmented interactive design setup, the Interactive Robotic Plastering (IRoP), which allows users to design directly on the construction site, taking the building structure, as-built state of the on-going fabrication and the material behavior into consideration. The experimental setup is an on-site robotic system that consists of a robotic arm mounted on a semi-mobile vertical axis with an integrated, automated pumping and adaptive spraying setup that is equipped with a depth camera. The user interaction is enabled by a controller-based interaction system, interactive design tools, and an augmented reality interface. The paper presents the challenges and the workflow that is needed to work with a complex material system on-site to produce bespoke plasterwork. The workflow includes an interactive design procedure, localization on-site, process control and a data collection method that enables predicting the behavior of complex-to-simulate cementitious material. The results demonstrate the applicability and scalability of the adaptive thin-layer printing technique and address the challenges, such as maintaining material continuity and working with unpredictable material behavior during the fabrication process., Architecture, Structures and Construction, 3 (2), ISSN:2730-9894, ISSN:2730-9886

Pimavanserin is a highly selective 5-HT

Suitable applications for a biodegradable polymer depend on its biodegradability (Bd), melting point (Tm) for thermal blending with biomass, tensile strength (σ) and tensile elongation (e). A factorial experimental design was carried out in order to evaluate the targeted relationship among these properties, for synthesizing a novel biodegradable poly (butylene terephthalate-co-e-caprolactone) (PBTCL). The results showed that the concentration of residual carboxyl end group ([COOH]) could inversely affect the number average molecular weight (Mn) and σ of PBTCL. Bd showed its loosely inversed relationship with crystallinity (Xc). The nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis showed the increased ratio of aromatic/aliphatic segments in PBTCL increased its Tm, σ and Bd, but decreased e and Xc. The regression models from the experimental design of Bd, Tm, σ and e were plotted and overlaid; the targeted properties were achieved when the polycondensation temperature (Tp), the 1,4-butandiol/terephthalate (BDO/TPA), and the e-caprolactone/terephthalate (CL/TPA) molar ratio were 255 °C, 1.39 mol/mol, and 1.48 mol/mol, respectively. Replicated PBTCL was synthesized under these optimal conditions, and the confirmed value of predicted Bd, Tm, σ, and e were 58.9 ± 0.4%, 115 ± 2.5 °C, 17 ± 0.8 MPa, and 356 ± 22%, respectively. The targeted PBTCL showed comparable properties to a commercially available biodegradable plastic.

Previous work has shown that chronic nicotine administration causes adaptive changes in 5-HT

Biodegradable starch-based plastics are formed by combining corn starch with biodegradable poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT). Starch reduces the production cost and improves the biodegradability. However, starch reduces the ductility and toughness of biodegradable plastics, limiting their application. In this study the low molecular weight poly(ethylene ether carbonate) (LPEEC) is synthesized by the ring-opening polymerization of ethylene carbonate produced from the greenhouse gas CO2. The extrusion combines starch-based plastic with LPEEC and provides plastics with increased tensile strength (by 3- to 4-fold) and elongation at break (by 4- to 5-fold), compared to that of plastics without LPEEC. The plastics with best mechanical properties are obtained using an LPEEC with the average molecular weights, molecular units of ethylene carbonate (Ec) and ethylene oxide (Eo) linkages of 3117 g/mol, 14, and 43, respectively. This is the first evidence of improving the properties of the starch-based polyester using LPEEC, which is suitable for biodegradable plastic.

Previous work has shown that chronic nicotine administration causes adaptive changes in 5-HT2A receptor expression. Based on this relationship, it was hypothesized that inactivating 5-HT2A receptors with the inverse agonists pimavanserin and volinanserin (MDL100907), would reduce the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal syndrome. Sprague-Dawley rats were rendered nicotine-dependent by subcutaneous infusion of nicotine bitartrate, 9 mg/kg/day for seven days. The infusions were then terminated, and 22 h later, rats were observed under “blind” conditions for somatically expressed behavioral nicotine withdrawal signs. One hour before observations, the nicotine dependent rats were injected i.p. with saline alone, or either 0.3 or 1.0 mg/kg pimavanserin in saline. Total withdrawal signs were reduced in a dose-dependent manner. A one-way ANOVA (total withdrawal signs as a function of dose) was highly significant, as was the descending linear trend of withdrawal signs as a function of dose. The 1.0 mg/kg dose reduced withdrawal signs nearly to the level exhibited by a comparison group of non-dependent rats injected with saline. A second experiment was conducted in a similar manner, which showed that volinanserin at 1.0 mg/kg but not 0.25 mg/kg also reduced nicotine withdrawal signs to nearly the level of non-dependent rats. In vitro experiments demonstrated that both pimavanserin and volinanserin potently antagonize 5-HT2A receptors, with approximately 25-fold, and 300-fold selectivity over 5-HT2C receptors, respectively. The results suggest that the 5-HT2A receptor contributes to mediating nicotine withdrawal syndrome, and thus represents a potential target for interventions to aid smoking cessation.

The proposed paper aims at the development of extruding seam square tube of AA7075 high strength aluminum alloy by simulation and experiment. There are several factors related to extrusion load such as billet temperature, billet dimension, flow stress, die cavity and product geometry. The extrusion loads and die stresses for hot extruding square tube with respect to different product have been investigated. Since AA7075 behaves high forming resistance comparing to AA6063 and AA6061, the product design and die design should be modified in order to meet with the limitation of extrusion machinery. Moreover, AA7075 has high thermal welding crack behavior by comparing to AA7003. Therefore, In order to provide high contact pressure enough to conduct solid welding for the split AA7075 materials in welding chamber, the specific die cavity design has been finished. Then, the solid welding pressure can be increased. The research results show that under the same forming conditions such as fixed ram speed and billet temperature, the extrusion force for the product with thick thickness is small than the one with thin thickness. The same result was obtained for die stress. A square tube extrusion experiment has been conducted by installing die set into forward extrusion machinery. The experiment and simulation results have been compared and discussed.

In this study, a series of aliphatic-aromatic poly(butylene terephthalate-co-e-caprolactone) (PBTCL) copolyesters were synthesized from various monomeric compositions of terephthalic acid (TPA), 1,4-butanediol (BDO), and e-caprolactone (CL) in the presence of tetrabutyl titanate (Ti(Obu)4) and stannous octoate (Sn(Oct)2) as catalysts through a combination of polycondensation and ring opening polymerization. A significant increase in the melting temperature (Tm) of copolyesters was observed by increasing the TPA/(CLþTPA) molar ratio, starting from the low end (Tm 66.2 � C) of pure poly-e-caprolactone PCL upward. We found that PBTCL-50, which has a TPA/(CLþTPA) 50% molar ratio and polycondensation at 260 � C for 1.5 h, resulted in a proper Tm of 139.2 � C that facilitates thermal extrusion from biomass or other biodegradable polymers of similar Tm. The number-average molecu- lar weight (Mn) of 7.4 � 10 4 for PBTCL-50 was determined from the intrinsic viscosity (g) by using the Berkowitz model of Mn ¼ 1.66 � 10 5 (g) 0.9 . Good mechanical properties of PBTCL-50 have been shown by tensile stretching experiment that indicates tensile strength, elongation, and Young's modulus are 11.9 MPa, 132%, and 257 MPa, respectively. Polymers with aforementioned properties are suitable for manufacturing biodegradable plastic films for downstream agricultural applications or merely for trash bag. This arti- cle reveals that the PBTCL-50 contains all five monomers with different molar ratios and characteristical linkages between each other. The novel structure was furthermore analyzed by 1 H- and 13 C-NMR spectroscopy. V C 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 127: 4385-4394, 2013

The aliphatic-aromatic copolyesters are becoming more important due to their desirable mechanical properties and biodegradability. In this study, a series of Poly(butylene succinate-co-terephthalate) (PBST) of various monomer compositions were synthesized from succinic acid (SA), dimethyl terephthalate (DMT), and 1,4-butanediol (BDO) in the presence of tetrabutyl titanate (Ti(Obu)4). The experiment was divided into three parts. The first part is a 23 factorial design with permutations of three factors, namely, temperature, molar ratio of BDO/DMT, and molar ratio of SA/DMT in polycondensation. Our statistical analysis showed that the temperature has a more significant effect on the intrinsic viscosity ([η]) of PBST than the other two factors. The number-average molecular weight (Mn) of the PBST was determined from the intrinsic viscosity by using the Berkowitz model of Mn = 1.521 × 105[η]1.5. The second part of the experiment is a time course investigation of polycondensation under various temperatures, molar ratios of BDO/(DMT + SA), and concentrations of Ti(Obu)4. Our results showed the best polycondensation occurred at 1.5 hr with [η] reaching 0.49 dL/g when the temperature was held at 250 °C, BDO/(SA + DMT) = 1.2 mol/mol with SA/(SA + DMT) = 50 mol%, and 0.97 mmol of Ti(Obu)4 per mol of SA + DMT. The third part of the experiment involves searching for the best molar ratio of SA/(SA + DMT) in obtaining desirable polymer properties and biodegradability. The results showed that the highest melting point of PBST can be as high as 177 °C at SA/(SA + DMT) = 30 mol%. The maximum tensile strength of 25.6 MPa is obtained at SA/(SA + DMT) = 30 mol%. The maximum elongation at break of 269.3% and the maximum Young's modulus of 754.8 MPa are reached at SA/(SA + DMT) = 60 mol% and at SA/(SA + DMT) = 30 mol%, respectively. The fastest lipase-decomposition rate of PBST reached 100 % at day six for samples with molar ratio SA/(SA + DMT) = 80 mol%. © 2011 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A new figure of merit (Poincare angular error gradient) is proposed to optimize the noise immunity of polarimeter. The typical polarization state analyzer is modified to experimentally realize the optimized scheme.

In order to increase the welding pressure of the hollow Al7075 tube in extrusion process, a special die feature has been created. Several different proportions of chamber structure in outlet of extrusion die have been designed. The finite element analysis software DEFORM 3D to analyze various design parameters on the load–displacement and the welding pressure have been studied. Comparing to 6000 series, 7000 series aluminum alloy have good material properties, including excellent strength and toughness especially for hollow aluminum extrusion products in terms of Al7075. However, in extruded hollow aluminum alloy products, the industry’s common use is 6000 series material, except for indirectly extruded seamless pipe, Al7075 can be found. This is because of less welding pressure can be provided by using the traditional die structures in Al7075 hollow products. Therefore, to use the directly extruded seam tube of Al7075 in high-yield and high-quality, to increase the welding pressure and improve the quality of welding products becomes a very important issue. In this study, a different high proportion in material guiding chamber has been defined. The same angle both on the exit of female die and the bearing of male die which can be integrated into a material guiding chamber has been designed. Therefore, the welding pressure can be increased due to the change of metal flow behavior that is after a complete fill in material guiding chamber, and then metal can flow out of die bearing surface. The results showed that welding pressure can be increased rapidly if a suitable material guiding chamber has been built. Among them, the ratio of chamber height and length is 2:1; the increased welding pressure is most significant.