Ligand‐Free Synthesis of Aluminum‐Doped Zinc Oxide Nanocrystals and their Use as Optical Spacers in Color‐Tuned Highly Efficient Organic Solar Cells

The color of polymer solar cells using an opaque electrode is given by the reflected light, which depends on the composition and thickness of each layer of the device. Metal‐oxide‐based optical spacers are intensively studied in polymer solar cells aiming to optimize the light absorption. However, the low conductivity of materials such as ZnO and TiO₂ limits the thickness of such optical spacers to tenths of nanometers. A novel synthesis route of cluster‐free Al‐doped ZnO (AZO) nanocrystals (NCs) is presented for solution processing of highly conductive layers without the need of temperature annealing, including thick optical spacers on top of polymer blends. The processing of 80 nm thick optical spacers based on AZO nanocrystal solutions on top of 200 nm thick polymer blend layer is demonstrated leading to improved photocurrent density of 17% compared to solar cells using standard active layers of 90 nm in combination with thin ZnO‐based optical spacers. These AZO NCs also open new opportunities for the processing of high‐efficiency color tuned solar cells. For the first time, it is shown that applying solution‐processed thick optical spacer with polymer blends of different thicknesses can process solar cells of similar efficiency over 7% but of different colors.     

Malaria in the southern sanitary district of Dakar (Senegal). 2. Entomologic data]

This study aimed to investigate the cause of persistently increased serum gastrin concentration seen in some Graves' disease patients even when euthyroid during antithyroid drug treatment. The subjects studied consisted of three groups: 33 patients with a common-type of Graves' disease, 14 with triiodothyronine (T3)-predominant Graves' disease (characterized from previous studies as having potent immunologic abnormalities including greater concentrations of thyroid-stimulating antibodies together with larger goiter size), and a group of 20 normal subjects. Fasting serum gastrin concentrations in common Graves' disease patients were significantly higher than those of normal subjects (58.4 +/- 38.9 pmol/L vs. 37.8 +/- 18.9 pmol/L [mean +/- SD], p < 0.05). The serum gastrin concentrations were even greater in T3-predominant Graves' disease patients than common Graves' disease patients (162.9 +/- 224.0 pmol/L vs. 58.4 +/- 38.9 pmol/L, p < .05). Serum pepsinogen I (PGI) concentrations were significantly lower in the T3-predominant patient group than the common Graves' group (24.0 +/- 12.9 ng/mL vs. 39.7 +/- 19.6 ng/mL, p < .05). Serum ratios of PG I to PG II were significantly lower in the T3-predominant Graves' disease patients than normal subjects (3.59 +/- 2.66 vs. 5.97 +/- 1.56, p < .01). The ratios also had a significant (p < .05) inverse correlation with serum gastrin concentrations in T3-predominant Graves' disease patients. The results suggest that autoimmune gastritis is associated with Graves' disease, particularly in patients with potent thyroid-autoimmunity.     

Efficient two-port antenna system for GSM=DCS=UMTS multimode mobile phones

The design of several two-port antenna systems for mobile phones is presented. All these structures are made up of two planar inverted-F antennas closely positioned on a small ground plane and radiating in the GSM900/DCS1800 and UMTS frequency bands. First, the antennas are simply associated at the top edge of the same printed circuit board. Thus, to improve their isolation and their total efficiency, a neutralisation effect is created by means of an optimised suspended line, which links the feeding strips of the radiators. The performance of these systems is measured and compared with theoretical results     

Structural Insight into the Complex of Ferredoxin and [FeFe] Hydrogenase from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

The transfer of photosynthetic electrons by the ferredoxin PetF to the [FeFe] hydrogenase HydA1 in the microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is a key step in hydrogen production. Electron delivery requires a specific interaction between PetF and HydA1. However, because of the transient nature of the electron‐transfer complex, a crystal structure remains elusive. Therefore, we performed protein–protein docking based on new experimental data from a solution NMR spectroscopy investigation of native and gallium‐substituted PetF. This provides valuable information about residues crucial for complex formation and electron transfer. The derived complex model might help to pinpoint residue substitution targets for improved hydrogen production.     

Impact of the soak and the malt on the physicochemical properties of the sorghum starches

Starches were isolated from soaked and malted sorghum and studied to understand their physicochemical and functional properties. The swelling power (SP) and the water solubility index (WSI) of both starches were nearly similar at temperatures below 50 °C, but at more than 50 °C, the starch isolated from malted sorghum showed lower SP and high WSI than those isolated from raw and soaked sorghum. The pasting properties of starches determined by rapid visco-analyzer (RVA) showed that malted sorghum starch had a lower viscosity peak value (86 BU/RVU) than raw sorghum starch (454 BU/RVU). For both sorghum, X-ray diffractograms exhibited an A-type diffraction pattern, typical of cereal starches and the relative degrees of crystallinity ranged from 9.62 to 15.50%. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) revealed that raw sorghum starch showed an endotherm with a peak temperature (Tp) at 78.06 °C and gelatinization enthalpies of 2.83 J/g whereas five-day malted sorghum starch had a Tp at 47.22 °C and gelatinization enthalpies of 2.06 J/g. Storage modulus (G') and loss modulus (G″) of all starch suspensions increased steeply to a maximum at 70 °C and then decreased with continuous heating. The structural analysis of malted sorghum starch showed porosity on the granule's surface susceptible to the amylolysis. The results showed that physicochemical and functional properties of sorghum starches are influenced by soaking and malting methods.     

Evaluation of Hunter color values L,a, and b of mixed powder

Hunter color values (HCVs) L, a, and b of powder are the important components of powder quality in the agricultural, food, and pigment industries according to the Commission Internationale de l'Éclairage (CIE) definitions. Relations between the HCVs L, a, and b of mixed powder and mass percent (MP) of each individual powder were studied. It was found that good linear relations existed between them and then could be expressed by three corresponding equations. According to these equations, the HCVs L, a, and b of mixed powder were only related to the HCVs L, a, and b and MP of each individual powder, respectively. Therefore, these equations could simply and rapidly evaluate the HCVs L, a, and b of mixed powder in the powder‐matching process. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 2010     

High efficiency and reusability of iridium complexes adsorbed in montmorillonite clay on catalytic hydrogenation of imines

Heterogenised homogeneous catalytic hydrogenation of aldimines by removable and reusable immobilised iridium complexes on montmorillonite clay. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Advanced Fault-Tolerant Control of Induction-Motor Drives for EV/HEV Traction Applications: From Conventional to Modern and Intelligent Control Techniques

This paper describes active fault-tolerant control systems for a high-performance induction-motor drive that propels an electrical vehicle (EV) or a hybrid one (HEV). The proposed systems adaptively reorganize themselves in the event of sensor loss or sensor recovery to sustain the best control performance, given the complement of remaining sensors. Moreover, the developed systems take into account the controller-transition smoothness, in terms of speed and torque transients. The two proposed fault-tolerant control strategies have been simulated on a 4-kW induction-motor drive, and speed and torque responses have been carried to evaluate the consistency and the performance of the proposed approaches. Simulation results, in terms of speed and torque responses, show the global effectiveness of the proposed approaches, particularly the one based on modern and intelligent control techniques in terms of speed and torque smoothness     

Polypoid ulcerating endocarditis aortalis caused by Streptococcus viridans with perforation of the right atrium. Pathology and clinical aspects of 2 autopsy cases

We report two cases of patients (one 65 and one 43 years of age, respectively) who died of Streptococcus-viridans induced endocarditis of the aortic valve with perforation into the right atrium. Whereas perforation in Staphylococcus-induced endocarditis is a common complication, it occurs rarely in Streptococcus-induced endocarditis. Because of its uncharacteristic symptoms, the endocarditis was clinically unknown in both cases and was recognized to be the cause of death only at autopsy. To reduce the large number of complications in patients suffering from endocarditis, it is necessary to confirm the diagnosis as soon as possible if endocarditis might be suspected.