Nanoparticles Enhanced Phase Change Material (NPCM) as Heat Storage in Solar Still Application for Productivity Enhancement

Whereas other researchers used various active and passive techniques to improve the productivity of solar still, this paper uses nanoparticles impregnated in phase change material (NPCM) for productivity enhancement. The solar still is fabricated individually with phase change material (PCM) and NPCM and analyzed both experimentally and theoretically. It is found that the solar still with PCM yielded 1.96 kg/0.5m2 whereas the solar still with NPCM yielded 2.64 kg/0.5m2. There was 35% improvement in productivity observed in solar still with NPCM as against solar still with PCM. The experimental results were validated with the predicted results and the discrepancy was found to be ±10%. Hence it is concluded that NPCM has better potential than PCM for solar still application

Large screen approaches to identify novel malaria vaccine candidates

Until recently, malaria vaccine development efforts have focused almost exclusively on a handful of well characterized Plasmodium falciparum antigens. Despite dedicated work by many researchers on different continents spanning more than half a century, a successful malaria vaccine remains elusive. Sequencing of the P. falciparum genome has revealed more than five thousand genes, providing the foundation for systematic approaches to discover candidate vaccine antigens. We are taking advantage of this wealth of information to discover new antigens that may be more effective vaccine targets. Herein, we describe different approaches to large-scale screening of the P. falciparum genome to identify targets of either antibody responses or T cell responses using human specimens collected in Controlled Human Malaria Infections (CHMI) or under conditions of natural exposure in the field. These genome, proteome and transcriptome based approaches offer enormous potential for the development of an efficacious malaria vaccine

A Search for Environmental Effects on Type Ia Supernovae

We use integrated colors and B and V absolute magnitudes of Type Ia supernova (SN) host galaxies in order to search for environmental effects on the SN optical properties. With the new sample of 44 SNe we confirm the conclusion by Hamuy et al. (1996a) that bright events occur preferentially in young stellar environments. We find also that the brightest SNe occur in the least luminous galaxies, a possible indication that metal-poorer neighbourhoods produce the more luminous events. The interpretation of these results is made difficult, however, due to the fact that galaxies with younger stellar populations are also lower in luminosity. In an attempt to remove this ambiguity we use models for the line strengths in the absorption spectrum of five early-type galaxies, in order to estimate metallicities and ages of the SN host galaxies. With the addition of abundance estimates from nebular analysis of the emission spectra of three spiral galaxies, we find possible further evidence that luminous SNe are produced in metal-poor neighborhoods. Further spectroscopic observations of the SN host galaxies will be necessary to test these results and assist in disentangling the age/metallicity effects on Type Ia SNe.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figures, to appear in the September 2000 issue of The Astronomical Journa

Relationship of Proteinases and Proteinase Inhibitors with Microbial Presence in Chronic Lung Disease of Prematurity

Background: A proteolytic imbalance has been implicated in the development of “classical” chronic lung disease of prematurity (CLD). However, in “new” CLD this pattern has changed. This study examines the longitudinal relationship between neutrophil proteinases and their inhibitors in ventilated preterm infants and their relationship to microbial colonisation. Methods: Serial bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was obtained from ventilated newborn preterm infants. Neutrophil elastase (NE) activity, cell counts, metalloproteinase (MMP)-9, MMP-9/TIMP-1 complex, SerpinB1 concentration and percentage of SerpinB1 and α1-antitrypsin (AAT) in complex with elastase were measured. The presence of microbial genes was examined using PCR for 16S rRNA genes. Results: Statistically more infants who developed CLD had NE activity in at least one sample (10/20) compared with infants with resolved respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) (2/17). However, NE activity was present in a minority of samples, occurring as episodic peaks. Peak levels of MMP-9, MMP-9/TIMP-1 complex, percentage of AAT and SerpinB1 in complex and cell counts were all statistically greater in infants developing CLD than in infants with resolved RDS. Peak values frequently occurred as episodic spikes and strong temporal relationships were noted between all markers. The peak values for all variables were significantly correlated to each other. The presence of bacterial 16S rRNA genes was associated with the development of CLD and with elevated elastase and MMP-9. Conclusion: NE activity and MMP-9 appear to be important in the development of “new” CLD with both proteinase and inhibitor concentrations increasing episodically, possibly in response to postnatal infection

The role of growth directors in controlling the morphology of hematite nanorods

The control of the growth of hematite nanoparticles from iron chloride solutions under hydrothermal conditions in the presence of two different structure promoters has been studied using a range of both structural and spectroscopic techniques including the first report of photo induced force microscopy (PiFM) to map the topographic distribution of the structure-directing agents on the developing nanoparticles. We show that the shape of the nanoparticles can be controlled using the concentration of phosphate ions up to a limit determined to be ~6 × 10−3 mol. Akaganéite (β-FeOOH) is a major component of the nanoparticles formed in the absence of structure directors but only present in the very early stages (< 8 h) of particle growth when phosphate is present. The PiFM data suggest a correlation between the areas in which phosphate ions are adsorbed and areas where akaganéite persists on the surface. In contrast, goethite (α-FeOOH) is a directly observed precursor of the hematite nanorods when 1,2-diamino propane is present. The PiFM data shows goethite in the center of the developing particles consistent with a mechanism in which the iron hydroxide re-dissolves and precipitates at the nanorod ends as hematite

'Digital by Default' and the 'hard to reach': Exploring solutions to digital exclusion in remote rural areas

Williams, F., Philip, L., Fairhurst, G., & Farrington, J. (2016). ‘Digital by Default’ and ‘the hard to reach’: exploring solutions to digital exclusion in remote rural areas. Local Economy, 31(7), 757-777. DOI: 10.1177/0269094216670938. Copyright © 2016 SAGE. Reprinted by permission of SAGE Publications.In the UK, the geography of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure required for Internet connectivity is such that high speed broadband and mobile phone networks are generally less available in rural areas compared with urban areas or, in other words, as remoteness and population sparsity increase so too does the likelihood of an area having no or very poor broadband connectivity. Against a policy backdrop of UK Government efforts to bring forward network infrastructure upgrades and to improve the accessibility of broadband services in locations where there is a weak commercial investment case, this paper considers the options for the ‘final few’ in the prevailing ‘Digital by Default’ public services context. The paper outlines the Rural Public Access WiFi Services project, a study focused upon enabling Internet connectivity for commercially ‘hard to reach’ rural areas in the UK. The Rural Public Access WiFi Services concept and the experiment are introduced before findings from a pilot deployment of a broadband service to households in a remote rural area, who may be classified as ‘digitally excluded’, are presented. The paper then reflects on our field experiment and the potential of the Rural Public Access WiFi Services model as a solution to overcoming some of the digital participation barriers manifest in the urban–rural divide. Early indications show that the Rural Public Access WiFi Services model has the potential to encourage participation in the Digital Economy and could aid the UK Government’s Digital by Default agenda, although adoption of the model is not without its challenges

Compliance of NHS dental practice websites in Wales before and after the introduction of the GDC document 'Principles of ethical advertising'

Objectives To evaluate the compliance of NHS dental practice websites in Wales, UK, with the 2012 GDC document Principles of ethical advertising, before its introduction (2011) and again after its introduction (2014). Methods All practices in Wales with an NHS contract and dental practice website were identified. The content of the website was evaluated to determine if it complied with the principles outlined in the 2012 GDC document Principles of Ethical Advertising. Results Twenty-five percent of the 446 practices sampled in 2011 had a website, compared to 44% of the 436 practices sampled in 2014. The principles best complied with were; displaying the name, geographic address, and telephone number of the practice (100% for both years). None of the websites compared the qualifications or skills of its practitioners to others, therefore 100% complied with this principle. Displaying team members' professional qualification and the country from which this is obtained was fairly well represented; 92% and 61% respectively in 2014; an improvement from only 50% and 49% respectively in 2011. Principles worst complied with were displaying the GDC's address (3% 2011; 9% 2014) or link to the GDC website (11% 2011; 7% 2014) and details of the practice complaints procedure (1% 2011; 5% 2014). Overall, no practice complied with all of the compulsory principles. Conclusion In both 2011 and 2014 no practice website was compliant with all the principles outlined in the 2012 GDC document Principles of ethical advertising. Reflecting results from previous studies, this study showed that compliance is slowly improving, yet over 4 years after the introduction of the mandatory principles, it remains that no practice website is 100% compliant

Strategies for MCR image analysis of large hyperspectral data-sets

Polymer microarrays are a key enabling technology for high throughput materials discovery. In this study, multivariate image analysis, specifically multivariate curve resolution (MCR), is applied to the hyperspectral time of flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy (ToF-SIMS) data from eight individual microarray spots. Rather than analysing the data individually, the data-sets are collated and analysed as a single large data-set. Desktop computing is not a practical method for undertaking MCR analysis of such large data-sets due to the constraints of memory and computational overhead. Here, a distributed memory High-Performance Computing facility (HPC) is used. Similar to what is achieved using MCR analysis of individual samples, the results from this consolidated data-set allow clear identification of the substrate material; furthermore, specific chemistries common to different spots are also identified. The application of the HPC facility to the MCR analysis of ToF-SIMS hyperspectral data-sets demonstrates a potential methodology for the analysis of macro-scale data without compromising spatial resolution (data ‘binning’

Strategies for MCR image analysis of large hyperspectral data-sets

Polymer microarrays are a key enabling technology for high throughput materials discovery. In this study, multivariate image analysis, specifically multivariate curve resolution (MCR), is applied to the hyperspectral time of flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy (ToF-SIMS) data from eight individual microarray spots. Rather than analysing the data individually, the data-sets are collated and analysed as a single large data-set. Desktop computing is not a practical method for undertaking MCR analysis of such large data-sets due to the constraints of memory and computational overhead. Here, a distributed memory High-Performance Computing facility (HPC) is used. Similar to what is achieved using MCR analysis of individual samples, the results from this consolidated data-set allow clear identification of the substrate material; furthermore, specific chemistries common to different spots are also identified. The application of the HPC facility to the MCR analysis of ToF-SIMS hyperspectral data-sets demonstrates a potential methodology for the analysis of macro-scale data without compromising spatial resolution (data ‘binning’

Effect of slurry composition on the chemical mechanical polishing of thin diamond films

Nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) thin films grown by chemical vapour deposition (CVD) have an intrinsic surface roughness, which hinders the development and per- formance of the films' various applications. Traditional methods of diamond polishing are not effective on NCD thin films. Films either shatter due to the combination of wafer bow and high mechanical pressures or produce uneven surfaces, which has led to the adaptation of the chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) technique for NCD films. This process is poorly understood and in need of optimisation. To compare the effect of slurry composition and pH upon polishing rates, a series of NCD thin films have been polished for three hours using a Logitech Tribo CMP System in conjunction with a polyester/polyurethane polishing cloth and six different slurries. The reduction in surface roughness was measured hourly using an atomic force microscope. The nal surface chemistry was examined using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and a scanning electron microscope. It was found that of all the various properties of the slurries, including pH and composition, the particle size was the determining factor for the polishing rate. The smaller particles polishing at a greater rate than the larger ones