Temperature and Size Dependence of the Optical Properties of Tetrapod-Shaped Colloidal Nanocrystals Exhibiting Type-II Transitions

We have investigated the optical properties of colloidal seed-grown CdSe (seed)/CdTe (arms) nanotetrapods both experimentally and computationally. The tetrapods exhibit a type-II transition arising from electrons localized in the CdSe seed region and holes delocalized in the CdTe arms, along with a residual type-I recombination in long-arm tetrapods. Experiments and theory helped to identify the origin of both types of transitions and their size dependence. In particular, time-resolved experiments performed at 10 K evidenced a size-dependent, long living type-II radiative emission arising from the peculiar electron–hole wave function localization. Temperature-dependent photoluminescence (PL) studies indicate that, at high temperature (>150 K), the main process limiting the PL quantum efficiency of the type-I PL is thermal escape of the charge carriers through efficient exciton-optical phonon coupling. The type-II PL instead is limited both by thermal escape and by the promotion of electrons from the condu..

Molecular Characterization of Cryptosporidium Species and Giardia duodenalis from Symptomatic Cambodian Children

Background: In a prospective study, 498 single faecal samples from children aged under 16 years attending an outpatient clinic in the Angkor Hospital for Children, northwest Cambodia, were examined for Cryptosporidium oocysts and Giardia cysts using microscopy and molecular assays. Methodology/Principal Findings: Cryptosporidium oocysts were detected in 2.2% (11/498) of samples using microscopy and in 7.7% (38/498) with molecular tests. Giardia duodenalis cysts were detected in 18.9% (94/498) by microscopy and 27.7% (138/498) by molecular tests; 82% of the positive samples (by either method) were from children aged 1–10 years. Cryptosporidium hominis was the most common species of Cryptosporidium, detected in 13 (34.2%) samples, followed by Cryptosporidium meleagridis in 9 (23.7%), Cryptosporidium parvum in 8 (21.1%), Cryptosporidium canis in 5 (13.2%), and Cryptosporidium suis and Cryptosporidium ubiquitum in one sample each. Cryptosporidium hominis and C. parvum positive samples were subtyped by sequencing the GP60 gene: C. hominis IaA16R6 and C. parvum IIeA7G1 were the most abundant subtypes. Giardia duodenalis was typed using a multiplex real-time PCR targeting assemblages A and B. Assemblage B (106; 76.8% of all Giardia positive samples) was most common followed by A (12.3%) and mixed infections (5.1%). Risk factors associated with Cryptosporidium were malnutrition (AOR 9.63, 95% CI 1.67–55.46), chronic medical diagnoses (AOR 4.51, 95% CI 1.79–11.34) and the presence of birds in the household (AOR 2.99, 95% CI 1.16–7.73); specifically C. hominis (p = 0.03) and C. meleagridis (p<0.001) were associated with the presence of birds. The use of soap was protective against Giardia infection (OR 0.74, 95% CI 0.58–0.95). Conclusions/Significance: This is the first report to describe the different Cryptosporidium species and subtypes and Giardia duodenalis assemblages in Cambodian children. The variety of Cryptosporidium species detected indicates both anthroponotic and zoonotic transmission in this population. Interventions to improve sanitation, increase hand washing after defecation and before preparing food and promote drinking boiled water may reduce the burden of these two parasites

The Role of Hole Localization in Sacrificial Hydrogen Production by Semiconductor-Metal Heterostructured Nanocrystals

The effect of hole localization on photocatalytic activity of Pt-tipped semiconductor nanocrystals is investigated. By tuning the energy balance at the semiconductor-ligand interface, we demonstrate that hydrogen production on Pt sites is efficient only when electron-donating molecules are used for stabilizing semiconductor surfaces. These surfactants play an important role in enabling an efficient and stable reduction of water by heterostructured nanocrystals as they fill vacancies in the valence band of the semiconductor domain, preventing its degradation. In particular, we show that the energy of oxidizing holes can be efficiently transferred to a ligand moiety, leaving the semiconductor domain intact. This allows reusing the inorganic portion of the degraded nanocrystal-ligand system simply by recharging these nanoparticles with fresh ligands

Pyrite nanocrystals: shape-controlled synthesis and tunable optical properties via reversible self-assembly

Nanocrystals from non-toxic, earth abundant materials have recently received great interest for their potential large-scale application in photovoltaics and photocatalysis. Here, we report for the first time on the shape-controlled and scalable synthesis of phase-pure pyrite (FeS2) nanocrystals employing the simple, inexpensive, thermal reaction of iron–oleylamine complexes with sulfur in oleylamine. Either dendritic nanocrystals (nanodendrites) or nanocubes are obtained by adjusting the iron-oleylamine concentration and thereby controlling the nucleus concentration and kinetics of the nanocrystal growth. Pyrite nanodendrites are reversibly assembled by washing with toluene and redispersed by adding the ligand oleylamine. The assembly–redispersion-process is accompanied by an increased absorption in the red/near-infrared spectral region for the aggregated state. This increased low-energy absorption is due to interactions between the closed-packed nanocrystals. High-concentration nanodendrite dispersions are used to prepare pyrite thin films with strong broadband extinction in the visible and near-infrared. These films are attractive candidates for light harvesting in all inorganic solar cells based on earth abundant, non-toxic materials as well as for photocatalytic applications

Intrinsic viscosity and friction coefficient of polymer molecules in solution: Porous sphere model

The intrinsic viscosity [] and the translational friction coefficient f of polymer molecules in solution are calculated on the basis of the porous sphere model. The only information needed to predict [] and f is the polymer molecular weight, the radius of gyration in the solvent, and the permeability as a function of position in the porous sphere. For systems for which this information is available there is satisfactory agreement between predicated and directly measured values of [] and f. No adjustment of parameters is required. The influence of solvent quality is more complex than is suggested by the experimentally verified Flory-Fox relation for []; the simple form of this relation stems from the fact that two quite large effects of solvent quality approximately compensate each other. The complete flow pattern of the solvent around and through the polymer coil can be calculated. Contrary to what is usually believed the solvent flow in the polymer coil is not effectively blocked, even at the center. The connection between the present treatment and the microscopic theory of Kirkwood and Riseman is investigated

Women\u27s Studies Advisory Board notes

This memo from Pat Coontz to the members of the Women\u27s Studies Advisory Board contains notes from a Women\u27s Studies Advisory Board meeting containing discussions about summer courses, grants, the Women\u27s Studies minor, and the Women\u27s Center

Assessment of the notions of band offsets, wells and barriers at nanoscale semiconductor heterojunctions

Epitaxially-grown semiconductor heterostructures give the possibility to tailor the potential landscape for the carriers in a very controlled way. In planar lattice-matched heterostructures, the potential has indeed a very simple and easily predictable behavior: it is constant everywhere except at the interfaces where there is a step (discontinuity) which only depends on the composition of the semiconductors in contact. In this paper, we show that this universally accepted picture can be invalid in nanoscale heterostructures (e.g., quantum dots, rods, nanowires) which can be presently fabricated in a large variety of forms. Self-consistent tight-binding calculations applied to systems containing up to 75 000 atoms indeed demonstrate that the potential may have a more complex behavior in axial hetero-nanostructures: The band edges can show significant variations far from the interfaces if the nanostructures are not capped with a homogeneous shell. These results suggest new strategies to engineer the electronic properties of nanoscale objects, e.g. for sensors and photovoltaics.Comment: Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

The Impact of Philanthropy on the Passage of the Affordable Care Act

This report has two aims. First, it seeks to examine the role of philanthropy in the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) in March 2010; in this regard, it resembles a traditional case study of philanthropic impact. But it also uses that examination to address some of the epistemic and methodological challenges involved in evaluating policy advocacy more generally; in this way, it also seeks to present a metastudy of the narratives of impact that have emerged regarding philanthropy and health care reform and the evidentiary support on which they are grounded.The challenges in evaluating philanthropy's hand in shaping policy have been well documented; this report has certainly run up against many of them. Yet at least one of these challenges is addressed directly through the retrospective, historical approach that this report takes. If foundations have often found it difficult to evaluate grants aimed at affecting policy change because of the broad time horizon such transformation often requires, looking backwards from the vantage point of such a significant change—the passage of the ACA—provides an outstanding perspective on the question of philanthropic impact. Analysis is staked, in this case, to a particular legislative outcome. For this reason, this report does not engage the role of philanthropy in the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. However, it is important to note that many of the funders discussed below have taken a leading role in supporting that process and appreciate that passage of the legislation represented only an initial step in a lengthier campaign to ensure that all Americans have access to affordable, quality health care