Solution-processed nanocrystalline TiO2 buffer layer used for improving the performance of organic photovoltaics

In this study, we use solution-processable crystalline TiO(2) nanoparticles as a buffer layer between the active layer and aluminum cathode to fabricate the P3HT:PCBM-based bulk heterojunction (BHJ) organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices. The employment of the presynthesized TiO(2) nanoparticles simplifies the fabrication of OPV devices because of the elimination of an additional hydrolysis step of precursors in air. The fabricated OPV devices with the thermally stable TiO(2) buffer layer are subjected to the further postdeposition thermal annealing, resulting in a power conversion efficiency (PCE) as high as 3.94%. The improved device performance could be attributed to the electron transporting and hole blocking capabilities due to the introduced TiO(2) buffer layer.     

High temperature resorcinol-based phthalonitrile polymer

Resorcinol-based phthalonitrile, 1,3-bis(3,4-dicyanophenoxy)benzene, has been synthesized in high yield by a simple nucleophilic displacement of a nitro-substituent from 4-nitrophthalonitrile in a dipolar aprotic solvent. The monomer can be thermally polymerized to a network polymer in the presence of an amine curing additive. The resin is readily processed in a controlled manner as a function of temperature and quantity of additive. Thermal analyses and rheology studies were used to characterize the high temperature thermosetting phthalonitrile polymer.     

高速电流反馈型放大器驱动并均衡最长100米的VGA电缆

在课堂、演讲厅和会议室,PC通过VGA电缆连接到投影仪,以传输红绿蓝（RGB）视频信号。平均电缆长度取决于房间大小和天花板高度,但多数电缆不超过1 00米。本文介绍集成电荷泵的三通道高速电流反馈型运算放大器ADA4858-3（见附录）如何能驱动并均衡最长达1 00米的VGA电缆。这种解决方案用在PC与电缆之间,便于使用,成本低廉,易于实施,     

Nonlinear modeling and control of human heart rate response during exercise with various work load intensities

The first objective of this paper is to introduce a nonlinear system to model the heart rate (HR) response during and after treadmill walking exercise. The model is a feedback interconnected system that has components to describe the central and peripheral local responses to exercise and their interactions. The parameters of the model were experimentally identified from subjects walking on a treadmill at different speeds. The stability of the obtained nonlinear model was mathematically proven. The modeling results demonstrate that the proposed model can be useful in examining the cardiovascular response to exercise. Based on the nonlinear model, the second objective is to present a computer-controlled treadmill system for the regulation of HR during treadmill exercise. The proposed nonlinear controller consists of feedforward and feedback components. The designed control system was experimentally verified and the results demonstrated that the proposed computer-controlled treadmill system regulated the HR of the experimental subjects according to two different exercising HR profiles, indicating that it can play an important role in the design of exercise protocols for individuals.      

Effects of external pressure on arteries distal to the cuff during sphygmomanometry

The aim of this study was to examine the effect on distal arteries of external pressure, applied by upper arm sphygmomanometer cuff. Photoplethysmographic (PPG) signals were measured on the index fingers of 44 healthy male subjects, during the slow decrease of cuff air pressure. For each pulse the ratio of PPG amplitude to its baseline (AM/BL) and its time delay (deltaTD) relative to the contralateral hand were determined as a function of cuff pressure. At cuff pressures equal to systolic blood pressure, pulses reappeared with the pulse time delay in the cuffed arm significantly greater than in the noncuffed arm, with (deltaTD) (mean +/- SD) 150 +/- 31 ms (p < 0.001). At cuff pressures equal to diastolic blood pressure (81 +/- 12 mmHg), deltaTD was 42 +/- 19 ms (p < 0.001), and at 50 mmHg, which is below diastolic blood pressure, (deltaTD) was still significantly positive at 6 +/- 9 ms (p < 0.001). AM/BL relative to its initial value rose at cuff pressures between systolic and diastolic blood pressure, then deceased to 0.6 +/- 0.41 (p < 0.001) at diastolic blood pressure and 0.54 +/- 0.24 (p < 0.001) at 50 mmHg. The changes in (deltaTD) and AM/BL can be interpreted as originating from changes in the compliance of conduit arteries and small arteries with cuff inflation and deflation.     

Quantitation of Acyclovir in Pharmaceutical Dosage forms using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography

A stability-indicating high performance liquid chromatography method for the quantitation of acyclovir in pharmaceutical dosage forms (capsules, ointment and injection) has been developed. The method is accurate and precise with a percent relative standard deviation of 1.2 based on 5 readings. The excipients present in the dosage forms did not interfere with the assay method. The recovery from the synthetic mixtures was quantitative. The samples decomposed under drastic conditions showed a new peak in the chromatogram. Acyclovir appears to be more stable in the alkaline than in the acidic solution. There appears to be a distribution/decomposition problem with the ointment sample being marketed in certain types of tubes used previously and still on the market.     

Efficient Room‐Temperature Phosphorescence from Organic–Inorganic Hybrid Perovskites by Molecular Engineering

Solution‐processed organic–inorganic hybrid perovskites are promising emitters for next‐generation optoelectronic devices. Multiple‐colored, bright light emission is achieved by tuning their composition and structures. However, there is very little research on exploring optically active organic cations for hybrid perovskites. Here, unique room‐temperature phosphorescence from hybrid perovskites is reported by employing novel organic cations. Efficient room‐temperature phosphorescence is activated by designing a mixed‐cation perovskite system to suppress nonradiative recombination. Multiple‐colored phosphorescence is achieved by molecular design. Moreover, the emission lifetime can be tuned by varying the perovskite composition to achieve persistent luminescence. Efficient room‐temperature phosphorescence is demonstrated in hybrid perovskites that originates from the triplet states of the organic cations, opening a new dimension to the further development of perovskite emitters with novel functional organic cations for versatile display applications.     

An overview of 3D object grasp synthesis algorithms

This overview presents computational algorithms for generating 3D object grasps with autonomous multi-fingered robotic hands. Robotic grasping has been an active research subject for decades, and a great deal of effort has been spent on grasp synthesis algorithms. Existing papers focus on reviewing the mechanics of grasping and the finger–object contact interactions Bicchi and Kumar (2000) [12] or robot hand design and their control Al-Gallaf et al. (1993) [70]. Robot grasp synthesis algorithms have been reviewed in Shimoga (1996) [71], but since then an important progress has been made toward applying learning techniques to the grasping problem. This overview focuses on analytical as well as empirical grasp synthesis approaches.     

Decentralized control of a group of mobile robots for deployment in sweep coverage

This paper addresses a problem of sweep coverage by deploying a network of autonomous mobile robots. We propose a decentralized control algorithm for the robots to accomplish the sweep coverage. The sweep coverage is achieved by coordinating the robots to move along a given path that is unknown to the vehicles a priori. The motion coordination algorithm is developed based on simple consensus algorithms. The effectiveness of the algorithm is demonstrated via numerical simulations. The proposed algorithm would have applications to military and civilian operations.     

Extreme-value-theoretic estimation of local intrinsic dimensionality

This paper is concerned with the estimation of a local measure of intrinsic dimensionality (ID) recently proposed by Houle. The local model can be regarded as an extension of Karger and Ruhl’s expansion dimension to a statistical setting in which the distribution of distances to a query point is modeled in terms of a continuous random variable. This form of intrinsic dimensionality can be particularly useful in search, classification, outlier detection, and other contexts in machine learning, databases, and data mining, as it has been shown to be equivalent to a measure of the discriminative power of similarity functions. Several estimators of local ID are proposed and analyzed based on extreme value theory, using maximum likelihood estimation, the method of moments, probability weighted moments, and regularly varying functions. An experimental evaluation is also provided, using both real and artificial data.