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Phenolic-based activated carbon fibers (ACFs) were prepared by catalytic activation using Zr(acac) 4 and ferrocene in CO 2 , respectively. The presence of the metal catalysts can promote the formation of mesopores and enhance the electric conductivity, particularly in the presence of Zr(acac) 4 . The electrochemical performance of the ACFs as electrodes of electric double-layer capacitors in 1 mol L -1 LiClO 4 /propylene carbonate (PC) was studied using galvanostatic charge/discharge and ac impedance techniques. The number of ions participating in the double layers per surface area unit increases with increasing the pore size above 11 A, and from 25 to 81 A it is nearly constant. The capacitance per unit mesopore surface area (8.08 μF cm -2 ) is higher than that per unit micropore surface area (4.29 μF m -2 ) at a current density of 50 mA g -1 . The organic ions could enter the larger pore easily and quickly. But if the pore size is larger than 26.5 A, the ac impedance increases due to the poor electric conductivity of the ACFs. The optimal pore size seems to be around 25 A in LiClO 4 /PC solution.

Phenolic resin-based activated carbon fibers (ACFs) were prepared by KOH, CO 2 , steam, Zr(acac) 4 , and ferrocene activation. The porosity, surface chemistry, and electric conductivity of ACFs were studied as electric double-layer capacitors in KOH electrolyte. The specific capacitance for ACFs is generally in the range 130-180 F g -1 and roughly has a linear relationship with the Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller (BET) surface area (S BET ). Among all of the ACFs, ACF-KOH-200 (which has a S BET of only ∼ 1284 m 2 g -1 and an average pore diameter of 14.3 A, but has the largest amount of hydroxyl carbonyl and quinone groups on the surface) exhibits the maximum value of 215 F g -1 , indicating that although the capacitance is controlled basically by the S BET , the oxygen groups play a dominant role in the formation of the double layers. The presence of mesopores in ACFs with very high S BET and good electric conductivity is not effective for double-layer capacitors. The number of ions participating in the double layers per surface area unit increases with the decrease of the pore size in the range of 11-20 A; beyond 20 A, it is nearly constant. No simple correlation was found between the resistance and the capacitance.

Background: Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is an illness caused by hantaviruses. Numerous factors modify the risk of hantavirus transmission. This study explored the epidemiological characteristics, differences, and trends in terms of gender, age, season, and living areas of those diagnosed with domestically acquired HFRS in Taiwan from 2001 to 2019. Methods: We examined publicly available annual summary data on the domestic cases with HFRS from 2001 to 2019, these data were obtained from the web database of Taiwan&rsquo, s Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Results: This study analyzed 21 domestic cases with HFRS from Taiwan&rsquo, s CDC databases. In this study of the cases of HFRS in Taiwan, a gradual increase in the cases of those aged &ge, 40&thinsp, years acquiring the disease was noted, and a distinct pattern of seasonal variation (spring) was observed. Furthermore, more men had domestically acquired HFRS, and living in Taipei metropolitan area (6 cases [28.6%]) and the rural areas (Gao-Ping region, 9 cases [42.9%]) was identified as a potential risk factor. This study represents the first report of confirmed cases of domestically acquired HFRS from surveillance data from Taiwan&rsquo, s CDC, 2001&ndash, 2019. Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of longitudinal studies covering a wide geographical area, particularly for highly fluctuating pathogens, to understanding the implications of the transmission of zoonotic diseases in human populations. Important data were identified to inform future surveillance and research efforts in Taiwan.

Yutao Guo, Lu Zhang, Chunjiang Wang, Yuexiang Zhao, Weiren Chen, Meng Gao, Ping Zhu, Tingshu Yang, Yutang WangDepartment of Geriatric Cardiology, General Hospital of The Chinese PLA, Beijing, 100853, People’s Republic of ChinaAbstract: Although “chest distress” is the most frequent complication in the aged with chronic atrial frbrillation (AF) in clinical practice, there are few data on the association between chronic AF and coronary artery disease (CAD) in the aged in terms of medical treatment and long-term outcome. We assessed coronary artery lesions in such patients and evaluated the efficacy of medical treatment in long-term follow-ups. Of 315 elderly patients (mean age: 77.39 ± 6.33 years) who had undergone coronary angiography for chest distress, 297 exhibited sinus rhythm (SR), whereas 18 patients exhibited chronic AF. Patients with AF were followed for 4.22 ± 2.21 years. Average diastolic blood pressure (DBP) of AF patients was observed to be markedly less than that of patients with SR (57.33 ± 6.87 mmHg vs 71.08 ± 10.54 mmHg, t-test: P < 0.01). Compared with SR patients, severe stenosis of the coronary artery in AF patients was reduced (73.06% vs 44.44%, Chi-square test: P < 0.01). AF patients with chest distress had high CHADS2 score (3.72 ± 1.27), but only 33.3% patients received oral anticoagulants, and such patients had a significantly lower rate of revascularization (21.43% vs 55.63%, Chi-square test: P < 0.01), and higher rate of all-cause death (22.22% vs 4.38%, Chi-square test: P < 0.01) and thromboembolism (16.67% vs 1.68%, Chi-square test: P < 0.01) in the long-term follow-ups compared with SR patients. Chest distress in the aged with AF was related to insufficient coronary blood supply that was primarily due to a reduced DBP rather than to occult CAD. Adequate and safe medical therapy was difficult to achieve in these patients. Such patients typically have a poor prognosis, and optimal therapeutic strategies to treat them are urgently needed.Keywords: aging, atrial fibrillation, coronary artery disease, antithrombotic therapy, revascularization, outcome&nbsp