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• Compared with normal control, all three groups of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients reported significant facial emotion perception and recognition (FEPR) deficits. • The FEPR deficit patterns were markedly different among left brain damage (LBD), right brain damage (RBD), and infratentorial brain damage (IBD) patients. • FEPR deficits were positively correlated with cognitive functions. Facial emotion perception and recognition (FEPR) deficits are the sources of disability, impaired social relationship, and reduced quality of life. Studies of unilateral acute ischemic stroke (AIS) remain controversial about FEPR deficits. Clinical and neurocognitive data were collected and analyzed among normal controls (NC) and AIS patients with left brain damage (LBD), right brain damage (RBD), and infratentorial brain damage (IBD). To assess FEPR, all participants completed a localization test (the Southeastern China Brief Affect Recognition Test). Correlation analyses were conducted between the FEPR deficits and cognitive functions. Compared with NC, all three groups of AIS patients reported significant FEPR deficits. Although no statistical difference in FEPR deficits were observed among the LBD, RBD and IBD patients, the deficit patterns were markedly different. FEPR deficits were positively correlated with cognitive impairment. FEPR deficits may occur in AIS patients and are associated with impaired cognitive functions, where the cerebral hemispheres and the infratentorial brain are jointly involved. Early recognition and early intervention of FEPR deficits in AIS patients are critical for post-stroke rehabilitation, reconstruction of social function and improvement in life quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-reinforcing porous mullite ceramics have attracted considerable attention in the field of insulation and sound absorption materials, due to their precise and controllable porous structure, high temperature and corrosion resistance, and low thermal conductivity. However, the high cost and relatively low performance obstruct their practical applications. In this work, self-reinforcing porous mullite ceramics were fabricated by utilizing construction waste via foam-gel casting and freeze-drying methods, and the impact of blowing agent dosage and sintering temperatures on the microstructures, sound absorption, and thermal insulation properties were systematically investigated. In addition, the related mechanism was also discussed in detail. The results show that, at a sintering temperature of 1000 °C and blowing agent dosage of 0.10 wt%, the self-reinforcing porous mullite ceramics can be successfully obtained, which exhibited a bulk density as low as 0.24 g/cm³ and porosity more than 90 %. Consequently, at a frequency of 2000 Hz, its absorption coefficient reached about 0.81. Furthermore, its thermal conductivity also decreased to about 0.06266 W/(m·K). This development not only unveils innovative avenues for the cost-effective fabrication of porous ceramics but also significantly broadens their potential applications within high-performance thermal insulation and sound absorption domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Not all urban renewal projects mitigate the urban heat island (UHI). • Urban renewal modifies surface characteristics, affecting the UHI. • Green spaces are vital for improving the urban thermal environment. • Increasing building volume or floor area ratio doesn't always exacerbate the UHI. • Attention should be given to the negative impact of the urban renewal process on UHI. This study examines the impact of different types and processes of urban renewal on the urban heat island (UHI) effect. The research categorizes renewal projects based on changes in buildings, underlying surfaces, and functions. Using the Spearman correlation coefficient and LOWESS method, the study analyzes the relationships between cooling effects and impact factors. The results reveal that transforming industrial areas into commercial or residential zones and transitioning from compact mid-rise to open high-rise structures have significant cooling effects. However, the renewal implementation of the latter transformation can exacerbate the local UHI, suggesting the need for optimizing the timeline of such projects. Increasing vegetation cover plays a crucial role in mitigating the UHI, while higher floor area ratios and building volumes do not necessarily intensify the UHI. To improve the urban ecosystem, urban renewal planning should prioritize the creation of blue and green spaces, incorporation of natural infrastructure, and reduction of impervious surfaces. These findings have implications for urban renewal policies, selection of preferred renewal types, and insights into the renewal process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of ethanolamine based deep eutectic solvents (DESs), which have strong basicity, were firstly applied in wheat straw pretreatment. Typically, choline chloride: monoethanolamine (C:M) as the best solvent among these DESs can remove 71.4% lignin and reserve 93.7% cellulose (70 °C, L/S mass ratio of 20:1, 9 h), and improve the enzymatic hydrolysis of residue, i.e., 89.8% cellulose and 62.0% xylan conversion. The pretreatment capacity of C:M is comparable to other solvents while C:M has several advantages, e.g., lower cost with cheap materials and simpler preparation process, mild conditions and lower polysaccharide loss. The XRD, SEM and FT-IR results verified that the polysaccharide conversion and sugars yield were enhanced by the removal of lignin in the pretreatment process. The basic ethanolamine based DESs are promising solvents for industrial application of wheat straw pretreatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]