A Type II n-n staggered orthorhombic V2O5/monoclinic clinobisvanite BiVO4 heterojunction photoanode for photoelectrochemical water oxidation: Fabrication, characterisation and experimental validation

Conventional photoanode using a singular semiconductor material is not technically viable for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water oxidation owing to the properties relating to its wide band gap, sluggish charge mobility, as well as poor separation and rapid recombination of photogenerated charge carriers. The main aim of this study was to fabricate an n-n heterojunction photoanode of V2O5/BiVO4 via a facile electrodeposition synthesis method in order to overcome the technical bottlenecks encountered in conventional singular photoanode structures. Additionally, the synergistic effect of band potentials matching and conductivity difference between BiVO4 and V2O5 were studied using LSV, IMPS, EIS, HR-TEM, XRD, XPS, Raman and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopies. This was followed by the performance evaluation of the light-induced water splitting using a standard three-electrode assembly PEC cell under 1.5 AM solar simulator. Results showed that the V2O5/BiVO4 heterojunction photoanode achieved a significantly improved photocurrent density of 1.53 mA/cm2 at 1.5 V vs Ag/AgCl, which was a 6.9-fold and a 7.3-fold improvement over the individual pristine BiVO4 (0.22 mA/cm2) and V2O5 (0.21 mA/cm2), respectively. The improvement was attributed to the lower charge resistances at the FTO/semiconductor, semiconductor/FTO and semiconductor/electrolyte interfaces as well as the fast transit time () of 6.4 ms for photo-injected electrons in the V2O5/BiVO4 heterojunction photoanode. Finally, the experimental results were used to reconstruct a theoretical band diagram in validating the heterojunction alignment between V2O5 and BiVO4 as well as in elucidating the photogenerated charge carriers transfer mechanism in the V2O5/BiVO4 heterojunction photoanode

Tuning of reduced graphene oxide thin film as an efficient electron conductive interlayer in a proven heterojunction photoanode for solar-driven photoelectrochemical water splitting

Although bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) has shown excellent photoelectrochemical (PEC) properties and is a good candidate of photoanode materials, the solar-driven PEC water splitting performance is still remained below its full potential due to the fast recombination and sluggish charge mobility of photogenerated charge carriers. Previously, we have communicated a proven Type II staggered vanadium pentoxide (V2O5)/BiVO4 heterojunction photoanode that could improve the photocurrent density. This study aimed to examine the effect of introducing an rGO thin film as an efficient electron conductive interlayer in a proven V2O5/BiVO4 heterojunction photoanode, and subsequently tuning the rGO film thickness in achieving the optimum PEC performance. The resultant ternary photoanode structure of V2O5/rGO/BiVO4 was characterised by using field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), high resolution-transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), UV–vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometer (XRD), Raman spectroscopy and photoluminescence (PL) measurements. Results showed that the interlayer rGO thin film arising from the sequential drop cast and electrochemical reduction of 320 μL ultrasonicated GO solution resulted in the optimal photocurrent density of 2.1 mA/cm2 at 1.5 V vs. Ag/AgCl. Furthermore, the chemical physics surrounding the photogenerated charge carrier transfer for heterojunction V2O5/BiVO4 was validated for the structure with and without the rGO interlayer. In particular, the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was used to measure multiple resistances at the FTO/semiconductor, semiconductor/semiconductor and semiconductor/electrolyte interfaces. Additionally, the charge transfer (Kt) and recombination (Kr) rate constants for the heterojunction V2O5/BiVO4 with the rGO interlayer were quantified using intensity modulated photocurrent spectroscopy (IMPS). Finally, the PEC H2 evolution rate from the ternary V2O5/rGO/BiVO4 photoanode was measured to be 32.7 μ mol/hr, which was about 3-fold higher than the bare V2O5/BiVO4 heterojunction photoanode

Control Theoretical Modeling of Trust-Based Decision Making in Food-Energy-Water Management

We propose a hybrid Human-Machine decision making to manage Food-Energy-Water resources. In our system trust among human actors during decision making is measured and managed. Furthermore, such trust is used to pressure human actors to choose among the solutions generated by algorithms that satisfy the community’s preferred trade-offs among various objectives. We model the trust-based loops in decision making by using control theory. In this system, the feedback information is the trust pressure that actors receive from peers. Using control theory, we studied the dynamics of the trust of an actor. Then, we presented the modeling of the change of solution distances. In both scenarios, we also calculated the settling times and the stability using the transfer functions and their Z-transforms as the number of rounds to show whether and when the decision making is finalized

Luminescent properties of Bi-doped polycrystalline KAlCl4

We observed an intensive near-infrared luminescence in Bi-doped KAlCl4 polycrystalline material. Luminescence dependence on the excitation wavelength and temperature of the sample was studied. Our experimental results allow asserting that the luminescence peaked near 1 um belongs solely to Bi+ ion which isomorphically substitutes potassium in the crystal. It was also demonstrated that Bi+ luminescence features strongly depend on the local ion surroundings

Disparities and risks of sexually transmissible infections among men who have sex with men in China: a meta-analysis and data synthesis.

BACKGROUND: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including Hepatitis B and C virus, are emerging public health risks in China, especially among men who have sex with men (MSM). This study aims to assess the magnitude and risks of STIs among Chinese MSM. METHODS: Chinese and English peer-reviewed articles were searched in five electronic databases from January 2000 to February 2013. Pooled prevalence estimates for each STI infection were calculated using meta-analysis. Infection risks of STIs in MSM, HIV-positive MSM and male sex workers (MSW) were obtained. This review followed the PRISMA guidelines and was registered in PROSPERO. RESULTS: Eighty-eight articles (11 in English and 77 in Chinese) investigating 35,203 MSM in 28 provinces were included in this review. The prevalence levels of STIs among MSM were 6.3% (95% CI: 3.5-11.0%) for chlamydia, 1.5% (0.7-2.9%) for genital wart, 1.9% (1.3-2.7%) for gonorrhoea, 8.9% (7.8-10.2%) for hepatitis B (HBV), 1.2% (1.0-1.6%) for hepatitis C (HCV), 66.3% (57.4-74.1%) for human papillomavirus (HPV), 10.6% (6.2-17.6%) for herpes simplex virus (HSV-2) and 4.3% (3.2-5.8%) for Ureaplasma urealyticum. HIV-positive MSM have consistently higher odds of all these infections than the broader MSM population. As a subgroup of MSM, MSW were 2.5 (1.4-4.7), 5.7 (2.7-12.3), and 2.2 (1.4-3.7) times more likely to be infected with chlamydia, gonorrhoea and HCV than the broader MSM population, respectively. CONCLUSION: Prevalence levels of STIs among MSW were significantly higher than the broader MSM population. Co-infection of HIV and STIs were prevalent among Chinese MSM. Integration of HIV and STIs healthcare and surveillance systems is essential in providing effective HIV/STIs preventive measures and treatments. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO NO: CRD42013003721

Regulation of mammary gland branching morphogenesis by the extracellular matrix and its remodeling enzymes.

A considerable body of research indicates that mammary gland branching morphogenesis is dependent, in part, on the extracellular matrix (ECM), ECM-receptors, such as integrins and other ECM receptors, and ECM-degrading enzymes, including matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their inhibitors, tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs). There is some evidence that these ECM cues affect one or more of the following processes: cell survival, polarity, proliferation, differentiation, adhesion, and migration. Both three-dimensional culture models and genetic manipulations of the mouse mammary gland have been used to study the signaling pathways that affect these processes. However, the precise mechanisms of ECM-directed mammary morphogenesis are not well understood. Mammary morphogenesis involves epithelial 'invasion' of adipose tissue, a process akin to invasion by breast cancer cells, although the former is a highly regulated developmental process. How these morphogenic pathways are integrated in the normal gland and how they become dysregulated and subverted in the progression of breast cancer also remain largely unanswered questions

Observation of a ppb mass threshoud enhancement in \psi^\prime\to\pi^+\pi^-J/\psi(J/\psi\to\gamma p\bar{p}) decay

The decay channel $\psi^\prime\to\pi^+\pi^-J/\psi(J/\psi\to\gamma p\bar{p})$ is studied using a sample of $1.06\times 10^8$ $\psi^\prime$ events collected by the BESIII experiment at BEPCII. A strong enhancement at threshold is observed in the $p\bar{p}$ invariant mass spectrum. The enhancement can be fit with an $S$-wave Breit-Wigner resonance function with a resulting peak mass of $M=1861^{+6}_{-13} {\rm (stat)}^{+7}_{-26} {\rm (syst)} {\rm MeV/}c^2$ and a narrow width that is $\Gamma<38 {\rm MeV/}c^2$ at the 90% confidence level. These results are consistent with published BESII results. These mass and width values do not match with those of any known meson resonance.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, submitted to Chinese Physics

Ih Current Is Necessary to Maintain Normal Dopamine Fluctuations and Sleep Consolidation in Drosophila

HCN channels are becoming pharmacological targets mainly in cardiac diseases. But apart from their well-known role in heart pacemaking, these channels are widely expressed in the nervous system where they contribute to the neuron firing pattern. Consequently, abolishing Ih current might have detrimental consequences in a big repertoire of behavioral traits. Several studies in mammals have identified the Ih current as an important determinant of the firing activity of dopaminergic neurons, and recent evidences link alterations in this current to various dopamine-related disorders. We used the model organism Drosophila melanogaster to investigate how lack of Ih current affects dopamine levels and the behavioral consequences in the sleep∶activity pattern. Unlike mammals, in Drosophila there is only one gene encoding HCN channels. We generated a deficiency of the DmIh core gene region and measured, by HPLC, levels of dopamine. Our data demonstrate daily variations of dopamine in wild-type fly heads. Lack of Ih current dramatically alters dopamine pattern, but different mechanisms seem to operate during light and dark conditions. Behaviorally, DmIh mutant flies display alterations in the rest∶activity pattern, and altered circadian rhythms. Our data strongly suggest that Ih current is necessary to prevent dopamine overproduction at dark, while light input allows cycling of dopamine in an Ih current dependent manner. Moreover, lack of Ih current results in behavioral defects that are consistent with altered dopamine levels