Numerical simulation of the effect of the free carrier motilities on light-soaked a-Si:H p-i-n solar cell

Using a previous model, which was developed to describe the light-induced creation of the defect density in the a-Si:H gap states, we present in this work a computer simulation of the a-Si:H p-i-n solar cell behavior under continuous illumination. We have considered the simple case of a monochromatic light beam nonuniformly absorbed. As a consequence of this light-absorption profile, the increase of the dangling bond density is assumed to be inhomogeneous over the intrinsic layer (i-layer). We investigate the internal variable profiles during illumination to understand in more detail the changes resulting from the light-induced degradation effect. Changes in the cell external parameters including the open circuit voltage, V_oc, the short circuit current density, J_sc, the fill factor, FF, and the maximum power density, P_max, are also presented. This shows, in addition, the free carrier mobility influence. The obtained results show that V_oc seems to be the less affected parameter by the light-induced increase of the dangling bond density. Moreover, its degradation is very weak-sensitive to the free carrier mobility. Finally, the free hole mobility effect is found to be more important than that of electrons in the improvement of the solar cell performance.     

Effects of roasting on ruminal nutrient degradability of sunflower seed

A study was conducted to determine the effects of roasting sunflower seed using heated particulate medium (heated salt at 250 °C, 60 s contact of salt and sunflower seed and 120 s holding time) on crude protein (CP) fractions, ruminal dry matter (DM) and CP degradabilities, and ruminal disappearance of amino and fatty acids. Two ruminally fistulated cows were used in a randomised complete block design. Roasting of sunflower seed decreased (P < 0.05) soluble protein and increased (P < 0.05) neutral detergent‐insoluble protein with little effect on acid detergent‐insoluble protein. Results of the in situ nylon bag study showed that roasting decreased (P < 0.05) ruminal degradability of DM and CP and increased (P < 0.05) ruminal undegraded CP of sunflower seed. Roasting increased (P < 0.05) intestinal digestibility of ruminal undegraded protein. Ruminal disappearance of all amino acids (following 12 h of incubation) was greater (P < 0.05) for raw than for roasted sunflower seed. Similar results were also observed for ruminal disappearance of fatty acids. It was concluded that roasting of sunflower seed using heated salt decreased ruminal nutrient degradabilities and thus increased the concentrations of amino acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids available for digestion in the small intestine. Copyright © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry     

Microelectromechanical switches based on amorphous diamondlike carbon films

We report on the development and investigation of radio frequency (RF) switches (including complete relay pairs) that employ single-crystal microelectromechanical systems (MEMSs) with mobile elements based on high-ohmic amorphous diamondlike carbon films. The use of these films in RF-MEMS switches eliminates problems related to electrode sticking, significantly decreases signal losses (to 100 dB), and ensures short switching times (～10 ns) for commutated signals at ultrahigh frequencies (up to 2 GHz for films on silicon substrates and above 10 GHz for films on gallium arsenide substrates).     

A dehydroalanyl residue can capture the 5''-deoxyadenosyl radical generated from S-adenosylmethionine by pyruvate formate-lyase-activating enzyme

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effects of carotid endarterectomy on the retrobulbar circulation of patients with severe occlusive carotid artery disease (OCAD) by means of color Doppler imaging (CDI). DESIGN: Prospective. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 17 consecutive patients with severe OCAD and neurologic symptoms (with a history of transitory ischemic attack or cerebral vascular accident) participated. INTERVENTION: All 17 patients underwent carotid endarterectomy. The CDI of both orbits was performed by one masked investigator before surgery and at 1 week and 1 month after surgery. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Peak systolic velocity, end diastolic velocity, and resistive index of the ophthalmic, central retinal, and temporal short posterior ciliary arteries were measured. The authors compared the hemodynamic parameters at all intervals. RESULTS: Peak systolic and end diastolic velocities in the ophthalmic, central retinal, and temporal short posterior ciliary arteries increased significantly 1 week and 1 month after carotid endarterectomy (P < 0.05). After surgery, the resistive indices in the central retinal and temporal short posterior ciliary arteries decreased significantly at both intervals (P < 0.05). The six patients who had reversed ophthalmic artery flow before surgery showed forward ophthalmic artery flow after carotid endarterectomy. The contralateral orbits showed no significant hemodynamic change after endarterectomy (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Hemodynamic changes in patients with severe OCAD undergoing carotid endarterectomy suggest improvement in the ipsilateral retrobulbar blood flow.     

Measurement of plasma total homocysteine by HPLC with coulometric detection

Vertebrate MitBASE is a specialized database where all the vertebrate mitochondrial DNA entries from primary databases are collected, revised and integrated with new information emerging from the literature. Variant sequences are also analyzed, aligned and linked to reference sequences. Data related to the same species and fragment can be viewed over the WWW. The database has a flexible interface and a retrieval system to help non-expert users and contains information not currently available in the primary databases. Vertebrate MitBASE is now available through the MitBASE home page at URL: http://www.ebi.ac.uk/htbin/Mitbase/mitb ase.pl. This work is part of a larger project, MitBASE which is a network of databases covering the full panorama of knowledge on mitochondrial DNA from protists to human sequences.     

Eicosanoid biosynthesis in an advanced deuterostomate invertebrate, the sea squirt (Ciona intestinalis)

The eicosanoid generating potential of tunic, branchial basket, intestine, ovary and tadpole larvae from the sea squirt, Ciona intestinalis, was examined using a combination of reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and enzyme immunoassay. All organs examined synthesized the lipoxygenase products 12-hydroxyeicosapentaenoic acid (12-HEPE) and 8-HEPE implying that both 8- and 12-lipoxygenase activity are widely distributed in this species. In addition, tunic and branchial basket generated significant amounts of 8,15-diHEPE and smaller amounts of 8,15-dihydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (8,15-diHETE), while tunic alone generated small amounts of conjugated tetraene-containing material with a UV chromophore and mass ion characteristic of a lipoxin-like compound. The broad range lipoxygenase inhibitors, esculetin and nordihydroguaiaretic acid, both caused a significant dose dependent inhibition of 12-HEPE and 8,15-diHEPE biosynthesis in tunic, while the specific 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor, REV-5901, and the specific 5-lipoxygenase activating protein inhibitor, MK-866, had no observable effect on the lipoxygenase profile of this tissue. Tunic, branchial basket, intestine and ovary all generated significant amounts of prostaglandin (PG) E and PGF immunoreactive material and smaller amounts of thromboxane B immunoreactive material as measured by enzyme immunoassay. The non-specific cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitor, indomethacin, the selective COX-1 inhibitors, resveratrol and valerylsalicylate, and the specific COX-2 inhibitors, NS-398, etolodac and DFU (5,5-dimethyl-3-(3-fluorophenyl)-4-(4-methylsulphonyl) phenyl-2(5H)-furanone) all caused a significant dose dependent inhibition of the biosynthesis of PGE immunoreactive material. However, the specific COX-2 inhibitors were most effective, perhaps implying that a COX-2-like enzyme may be present in this species.     

Applying Impact Loading for Revealing Cracks in Glass by Acoustic Emission Method

Russian Journal of Nondestructive Testing - Results of studying regularities in the development of cracks in glass under impact loading using the method of acoustic emission (AE) and tensometry are...     

Bacterial Ferrihydrite Nanoparticles: Preparation,Magnetic Properties,and Application in Medicine

Nanoparticles of antiferromagnetically ordered materials acquire the uncompensated magnetic moment caused by defects and surface effects. A bright example of such a nano-antiferromagnet is nanoferrihydrite consisting of particles 2–5 nm in size, the magnetic moment of which amounts to hundreds of Bohr magnetons per particle. We present a brief review of the studies on magnetic properties of ferrihydrite produced by bacteria. Special attention is focused on the aspects of possible biomedical applications of this material, i.e., the particle elimination, toxicity, and possible use for targeted drug delivery.     

Novel high stable electrocatalyst based on non-stoichiometric nanocrystalline niobium carbide toward effective hydrogen evolution

In this work, we have developed a method for the synthesis of non-stoichiometric nanocrystalline niobium carbide (NbC_y) using special heat treatment of niobium citrate in a vacuum. The powder synthesized was investigated by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and low-temperature nitrogen sorption-desorption technique. The PXRD results showed that the synthesized niobium carbide nanocrystals had a cubic structure (space group Fm-3m), isometric morphology, and average crystallite size of about 12 nm. The Rietveld method was used to refine the unit cell parameters: a = b = c = 446.8 pm; R_wp = 5.48%. The specific surface area about 212 m²/g (BET) and the porosity about 0.02 cm³/g (BJH) of the sample were determined by adsorption-structural analysis; it was found that niobium carbide had a weakly pronounced microporous structure associated with the presence of interparticle porosity, which was also confirmed by the HRSEM results. The catalytic activity of non-stoichiometric niobium carbide in the process of electrolytic reforming of an aqueous ethanol solution was analyzed. The electrocatalyst has a low hydrogen overpotential value (?245 mV), a Taffel slope (90 mV/dec), and high operational stability: the absolute value of the overvoltage increases by 21 mV after 500 voltammetry cycles, and the current density decreases by 5% after 20 h of chronoamperometry. The results obtained make it possible to consider non-stoichiometric niobium carbide as a promising electrode base for electrocatalytic production of hydrogen from renewable aqueous-alcoholic solutions.