Heat treatment effect on the structural, morphological, and optical properties of plasma polymerized furan-2-carbaldehyde thin films

The furan-2-carbaldehyde (PPFCD) amorphous polymer thin films, with several thicknesses, were deposited onto glass substrates using a glow discharge of monomer FCD at ordinary room temperature via plasma polymerization technique. The structural, morphological, and optical characteristics of the as synthesised PPFCD amorphous films were studied as a function of temperature via X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), and ultraviolet-visible (UV–Vis) absorption spectroscopy. The amorphous nature of the thin films was ascertained in both as-synthesised and heat treated states using the XRD studies. The SEM micrographs display homogeneous and fracture free surface of PPFCD films and no remarkable variation in the surface morphology of the as synthesised films was detected owing to the heat treatment procedure. However, the EDX, and FTIR analysis represented some structural rearrangement originated from the heat treatment of the PPFCD thin films. The analysis of the UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy revealed that the absorbance of the films depend on the films thickness and the temperature of the heat treatment. The optical band-gaps of PPFCD amorphous films were found to be significantly decreased with the gradual rise in heat treatment temperature

Structural and optical properties of plasma polymerized pyromucic aldehyde thin films

Abstract: Plasma polymerized pyromucic aldehyde (PPPA) thin films have been deposited on to glass substrates by glow discharge technique. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) graphs reveal that the surface morphology of PPPA thin films is uniform and flawless. FTIR analysis reveals that the chemical composition of PPPA films is different from that of the pyromucic aldehyde (PA). From the UV-vis spectra direct and indirect transition energy gaps were determined for as deposited PPPA thin films of different thicknesses

Aquaculture for income and nutrition: Final report

The United States Agency for International Development-Aquaculture for Income and Nutrition (USAID-AIN) project, implemented by WorldFish, emphasized technology development for improved fish strains, and capacity building in hatcheries and nurseries for wider dissemination and uptake among small- and medium-scale household and commercial producers. Improving nutritional benefits from household aquaculture investment was also an important activity of the project. Specifically, AIN aimed to increase aquaculture production by developing hatcheries and nurseries, disseminating improved fish and shrimp seed, enhancing farm management skills of smallholder farmers, promoting new technologies to expand commercial aquaculture, developing backward and forward market linkages, supporting policy reform and building capacity of the public and private sectors, which resulted in increased productivity and revenue for farmers. This report also highlights the major achievements of the AIN project between 2011 and 2016

Tocilizumab in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 (RECOVERY): a randomised, controlled, open-label, platform trial

Background: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of tocilizumab in adult patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 with both hypoxia and systemic inflammation. Methods: This randomised, controlled, open-label, platform trial (Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy [RECOVERY]), is assessing several possible treatments in patients hospitalised with COVID-19 in the UK. Those trial participants with hypoxia (oxygen saturation <92% on air or requiring oxygen therapy) and evidence of systemic inflammation (C-reactive protein ≥75 mg/L) were eligible for random assignment in a 1:1 ratio to usual standard of care alone versus usual standard of care plus tocilizumab at a dose of 400 mg–800 mg (depending on weight) given intravenously. A second dose could be given 12–24 h later if the patient's condition had not improved. The primary outcome was 28-day mortality, assessed in the intention-to-treat population. The trial is registered with ISRCTN (50189673) and ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04381936). Findings: Between April 23, 2020, and Jan 24, 2021, 4116 adults of 21 550 patients enrolled into the RECOVERY trial were included in the assessment of tocilizumab, including 3385 (82%) patients receiving systemic corticosteroids. Overall, 621 (31%) of the 2022 patients allocated tocilizumab and 729 (35%) of the 2094 patients allocated to usual care died within 28 days (rate ratio 0·85; 95% CI 0·76–0·94; p=0·0028). Consistent results were seen in all prespecified subgroups of patients, including those receiving systemic corticosteroids. Patients allocated to tocilizumab were more likely to be discharged from hospital within 28 days (57% vs 50%; rate ratio 1·22; 1·12–1·33; p<0·0001). Among those not receiving invasive mechanical ventilation at baseline, patients allocated tocilizumab were less likely to reach the composite endpoint of invasive mechanical ventilation or death (35% vs 42%; risk ratio 0·84; 95% CI 0·77–0·92; p<0·0001). Interpretation: In hospitalised COVID-19 patients with hypoxia and systemic inflammation, tocilizumab improved survival and other clinical outcomes. These benefits were seen regardless of the amount of respiratory support and were additional to the benefits of systemic corticosteroids. Funding: UK Research and Innovation (Medical Research Council) and National Institute of Health Research

Convalescent plasma in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 (RECOVERY): a randomised controlled, open-label, platform trial

Background: Many patients with COVID-19 have been treated with plasma containing anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. We aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of convalescent plasma therapy in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19. Methods: This randomised, controlled, open-label, platform trial (Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy [RECOVERY]) is assessing several possible treatments in patients hospitalised with COVID-19 in the UK. The trial is underway at 177 NHS hospitals from across the UK. Eligible and consenting patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either usual care alone (usual care group) or usual care plus high-titre convalescent plasma (convalescent plasma group). The primary outcome was 28-day mortality, analysed on an intention-to-treat basis. The trial is registered with ISRCTN, 50189673, and ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04381936. Findings: Between May 28, 2020, and Jan 15, 2021, 11558 (71%) of 16287 patients enrolled in RECOVERY were eligible to receive convalescent plasma and were assigned to either the convalescent plasma group or the usual care group. There was no significant difference in 28-day mortality between the two groups: 1399 (24%) of 5795 patients in the convalescent plasma group and 1408 (24%) of 5763 patients in the usual care group died within 28 days (rate ratio 1·00, 95% CI 0·93–1·07; p=0·95). The 28-day mortality rate ratio was similar in all prespecified subgroups of patients, including in those patients without detectable SARS-CoV-2 antibodies at randomisation. Allocation to convalescent plasma had no significant effect on the proportion of patients discharged from hospital within 28 days (3832 [66%] patients in the convalescent plasma group vs 3822 [66%] patients in the usual care group; rate ratio 0·99, 95% CI 0·94–1·03; p=0·57). Among those not on invasive mechanical ventilation at randomisation, there was no significant difference in the proportion of patients meeting the composite endpoint of progression to invasive mechanical ventilation or death (1568 [29%] of 5493 patients in the convalescent plasma group vs 1568 [29%] of 5448 patients in the usual care group; rate ratio 0·99, 95% CI 0·93–1·05; p=0·79). Interpretation: In patients hospitalised with COVID-19, high-titre convalescent plasma did not improve survival or other prespecified clinical outcomes. Funding: UK Research and Innovation (Medical Research Council) and National Institute of Health Research

Wind turbine monitoring system using wireless sensor networks

Wireless sensor networks can be used in wind farm monitoring where periodic data collection about the sound generated inside the farm as well as detection and monitoring of faulty wind turbines is necessary. Periodic sound data collection requires reliability while faults detection necessitates timeliness. Simultaneous data gathering and faults monitoring was not well studied in literature. This paper proposed a system model that worked on homogeneous data gathering Wireless sensor networks deployed in wind farms. When a wind turbine became faulty, a cluster with a different transmission channel around that wind turbine was formed and both periodic sound data gathering and faults monitoring were performed at the same time. The proposed model had a novel routing strategy with a built-in congestion control technique to provide timely delivery of faults data. Experimental results show that the proposed method performed better than known similar techniques in terms of reliable data gathering and reliable timely faults monitoring. Due to lower number of high power transmissions, the proposed method had 8% to 17% higher success rate of regular system and 94% of accuracy at the fault monitoring. In terms of timely faults detection and notification, this method had a comparative performance to the existing methods

Structural, morphological, compositional and optical studies of plasma polymerized 2-furaldehyde amorphous thin films

Plasma synthesized 2-furaldehyde (PPFDH) amorphous polymer thin films of varying thicknesses were prepared in optimum conditions by a capacitively coupled parallel plate glow discharge reactor at room temperature. The structure, morphology, composition and optical properties of deposited PPFDH thin films have been investigated using X-Ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy (EDS), as well as Ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) absorption spectroscopy. XRD results confirmed the amorphous nature of the films. The smooth and uniform nature of the PPFDH thin films were observed by SEM images. FTIR analyses of monomer FDH and PPFDH thin films show that structural rearrangement has occurred due to the synthesis process taking place in the chemical structure. IR stretching bands obtained from DFT calculations of the optimized structures of monomer and polymer of 2-furaldehyde are in good agreement with the experimental results. UV–vis absorption spectra in transmittance as well as reflectance mode was utilized to compute absorption coefficient, allowed direct and indirect transition energy gaps, band edge sharpness, Urbach energy, steepness parameter, extinction coefficient, and dispersion and oscillator energy. The oscillator strength, moments of optical spectra, refractive index at infinite wavelength, high frequency dielectric constant, average oscilator strength, complex refractive index, dissipation factor, optical conductivity and skin depth were also determined by using measured UV–vis transmittance and reflectance spectra

Synthesis and aging effect of plasma-polymerized 2-furancarboxaldehyde amorphous thin films

Monomer 2-Furancarboxaldehyde (FCD) deposited via glow discharge technique onto glass substrates to produce plasma synthesized 2-Furancarboxaldehyde (PPFCD) thin films with different thicknesses. The various characteristics, such as the structural, optical, morphological and elemental properties of unaged (as deposited) as well as aged PPFCD thin films were studied using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) absorption spectroscopy, environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopic (EDAX) methods. The XRD studies indicated the existence of small crystallite domains or amorphous nature of the PPFCD films. The ESEM micrographs exhibited the uniform, pinhole, and fracture free surface of PPFCD films together with no queerish morphological variations due to the aging effect. On the contrary, the EDAX and FTIR spectroscopic studies illustrated some structural rearrangement owing to the aging of PPFCD thin films. The UV-Vis studies revealed that the direct and indirect optical band gaps (Edb and Eib), and steepness parameter (σ) of the aged PPFCD films were significantly reduced from 3.43 to 3.20 eV, 2.18 to 1.53 eV, and 0.0546 to 0.0524 respectively while the Urbach energy (Eu) value was slightly enhanced from 0.48 to 0.50 eV. This indicated that the aging has remarkable effects on the optical properties of the PPFCD films