Indium tin oxide nanopillar electrodes in polymer/fullerene solar cells

Using high surface area nanostructured electrodes in organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices is a route to enhanced power conversion efficiency. In this paper, indium tin oxide (ITO) and hybrid ITO/SiO(2) nanopillars are employed as three-dimensional high surface area transparent electrodes in OPVs. The nanopillar arrays are fabricated via glancing angle deposition (GLAD) and electrochemically modified with nanofibrous PEDOT:PSS (poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(p-styrenesulfonate)). The structures are found to have increased surface area as characterized by porosimetry. When applied as anodes in polymer/fullerene OPVs (architecture: commercial ITO/GLAD ITO/PEDOT:PSS/P3HT:PCBM/Al, where P3HT is 2,5-diyl-poly(3-hexylthiophene) and PCBM is [6,6]-phenyl-C(61)-butyric acid methyl ester), the air-processed solar cells incorporating high surface area, PEDOT:PSS-modified ITO nanoelectrode arrays operate with improved performance relative to devices processed identically on unstructured, commercial ITO substrates. The resulting power conversion efficiency is 2.2% which is a third greater than for devices prepared on commercial ITO. To further refine the structure, insulating SiO(2) caps are added above the GLAD ITO nanopillars to produce a hybrid ITO/SiO(2) nanoelectrode. OPV devices based on this system show reduced electrical shorting and series resistance, and as a consequence, a further improved power conversion efficiency of 2.5% is recorded.     

Stable Inverted Polymer/Fullerene Solar Cells Using a Cationic Polythiophene Modified PEDOT:PSS Cathodic Interface

A cationic and water‐soluble polythiophene [poly[3‐(6‐pyridiniumylhexyl)thiophene bromide] (P3PHT⁺Br^?)] is synthesized and used in combination with anionic poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(p‐styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS)^? to produce hybrid coatings on indium tin oxide (ITO). Two coating strategies are established: i) electrostatic layer‐by‐layer assembly with colloidal suspensions of (PEDOT:PSS)^?, and ii) modification of an electrochemically prepared (PEDOT:PSS)^? film on ITO. The coatings are found to modify the work function of ITO such that it could act as a cathode in inverted 2,5‐diyl‐poly(3‐hexylthiophene) (P3HT)/[6,6]‐phenyl‐C₆₁‐butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) polymer photovoltaic cells. The interfacial modifier created from the layer‐by‐layer assembly route is used to produce efficient inverted organic photovoltaic devices (power conversion efficiency ～2%) with significant long‐term stability in excess of 500 h.     

Capacitively coupled electrical stimulation treatment: results from patients with failed long bone fracture unions

BACKGROUND: The low incidence of stab wounds in Australasia has led to a more operative approach for the management of anterior abdominal stab wounds. A survey of Australasian surgeons interested in trauma was undertaken to analyse current practice. METHODS: Ninety-seven early management of severe trauma surgical instructors (known as ATLS in Australasia) were surveyed using a four-part, single-page questionnaire. RESULTS: Sixty-five instructors completed the survey. Thirty-nine instructors stated that they would admit patients with stab wounds even if the wound appeared superficial or 'skin only'. For 14 surgeons the decision to perform a laparotomy was dependent on fascial penetration and for 17 the decision depended upon peritoneal penetration. Six felt that all but the most superficial wounds should have a laparotomy. Laparoscopy, diagnostic peritoneal lavage and other investigations were also thought to be helpful. Thirteen surgeons felt that the presence of peritonism or tenderness were the most important determinants. There was no hospital protocol for 44 respondents and there was a wide variation in individual approach to this problem. However, all agreed that peritonism and haemodynamic instability were indications for immediate laparotomy. CONCLUSIONS: There is still a low threshold for laparotomy in Australasia and this approach is not without risks. However, the alternative of using serial observation should be regarded as an active form of management and protocols must be established to ensure regular repeat examinations by experienced personnel. The low incidence of abdominal stab wounds in Australasia makes this approach difficult. A safe approach for the Australasian situation is described.     

A corpus for research in text processing for evidence based medicine

Evidence based medicine (EBM) urges the medical doctor to incorporate the latest available clinical evidence at point of care. A major stumbling block in the practice of EBM is the difficulty to keep up to date with the clinical advances. In this paper we describe a corpus designed for the development and testing of text processing tools for EBM, in particular for tasks related to the extraction and summarisation of answers and corresponding evidence related to a clinical query. The corpus is based on material from the Clinical Inquiries section of The Journal of Family Practice. It was gathered and annotated by a combination of automated information extraction, crowdsourcing tasks, and manual annotation. It has been used for the original summarisation task for which it was designed, as well as for other related tasks such as the appraisal of clinical evidence and the clustering of the results. The corpus is available at SourceForge (http://sourceforge.net/projects/ebmsumcorpus/).     

PETROLEUM SYSTEMS ANALYSIS OF THE EASTERN ARABIAN PLATE: CHEMOMETRICS BASED ON A REVIEW OF THE GEOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF OILS IN JURASSIC – CENOZOIC RESERVOIRS

This paper presents the results of an integrated geochemical study of oils in Jurassic – Cenozoic reservoirs in the eastern region of the Arabian Plate. The main objective was to analyze the active petroleum systems at a regional scale across the study area which extends from NE Iraq to SE Oman and includes the entire Persian Gulf. The dataset for the study consisted of more than 500 crude oil samples from 112 oil fields and 11 different reservoir units. This dataset was compiled from both the literature and re-evaluated geochemical and stable isotope analyses, augmented by new analytical studies. The study documents regional variations and trends in the bulk and molecular properties and stable isotope ratios of the oil samples. Two overall clans and twelve genetic oil families and sub-families were distinguished using multivariate statistical analysis (chemometrics) based on biomarker parameters. The age, lithology, depositional setting and organic matter type of the respective source rocks for each family/sub-family was inferred from oil geochemical fingerprints. The results provide insights into the key geological factors that control the number, size and geochemical character of oil fields in the eastern Arabian Plate. The geographical extent of the various oil families was assessed and used to evaluate charge access and to predict migration directions and migration pathways in the study area. The results indicate the value of implementing multivariate statistical analysis on “big data” along with state-of-the-art geological petroleum systems analysis and interpretation of biomarker and oil composition data to investigate complex and extended petroleum systems.     

SOURCE ROCK POTENTIAL OF THE UPPER JURASSIC – LOWER CRETACEOUS SUCCESSION IN THE SOUTHERN MESOPOTAMIAN BASIN,SOUTHERN IRAQ

This paper reports on the hydrocarbon potential of subsurface samples from the Upper Jurassic Lower Cretaceous succession at the Rumaila (North and South), Zubair, Subba and West Qurna oilfields in southern Iraq. A total of 37 fine‐grained core samples of the Sulaiy, Yamama, Ratawi and Zubair Formations from ten wells were analyzed. Contents of organic carbon and sulphur were measured; other analyses included Rock‐Eval pyrolysis, optical microscopy in incident light, solvent extraction and gas chromatography of non‐aromatic hydrocarbons. The results indicated that the samples from the Cretaceous succession (Yamama, Zubair and Ratawi Formations) are at moderate levels of thermal maturity, whereas samples from the Upper Jurassic – Lower Cretaceous Sulaiy Formation are at a stage of thermal maturity beyond peak oil generation. According to the results of this study, the Sulaiy Formation is an excellent highly‐mature source rock and it is probably responsible for the generation of large quantities of oil in the study area. The samples differ with respect to their organic fades and biomarker distribution, indicating that palaeo depositional conditions varied significantly.