Energy versus electron transfer in organic solar cells: a comparison of the photophysics of two indenofluorene: fullerene blend films

In this paper, we compare the photophysics and photovoltaic device performance of two indenofluorene based polymers: poly[2,8-(6,6,12,12-tetraoctylindenofluorene)-co-4,7-(2,1,3-benzothiodiazole] (IF8BT) and poly[2,8-(6,6,12,12-tetraoctylindenofluorene)-co-5,5-(40,70-di-2-thienyl-20,10,30-benzothiodiazole] (IF8TBTT) blended with [6,6]-phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM). Photovoltaic devices made with IF8TBTT exhibit greatly superior photocurrent generation and photovoltaic efficiency compared to those made with IF8BT. The poor device efficiency of IF8BT/PCBM devices is shown to result from efficient, ultrafast singlet F€orster energy transfer from IF8BT to PCBM, with the resultant PCBM singlet exciton lacking sufficient energy to drive charge photogeneration. The higher photocurrent generation observed for IF8TBTT/PCBM devices is shown to result from IF8TBTT’s relatively weak, red-shifted photoluminescence characteristics, which switches off the polymer to fullerene singlet energy transfer pathway. As a consequence, IF8TBTT singlet excitons are able to drive charge separation at the polymer/fullerene interface, resulting in efficient photocurrent generation. These results are discussed in terms of the impact of donor/acceptor energy transfer upon photophysics and energetics of charge photogeneration in organic photovoltaic\ud devices. The relevance of these results to the design of polymers for organic photovoltaic applications is also discussed, particularly with regard to explaining why highly luminescent polymers developed for organic light emitting diode applications often give relatively poor performance in organic photovoltaic devices

Self-verifying cellular automata

We study the computational capacity of self-verifying cellular automata with an emphasis on one-way information flow (SVOCA). A self-verifying device is a nondeterministic device whose nondeterminism is symmetric in the following sense. Each computation path can give one of the answers "yes", "no", or "do not know". For every input word, at least one computation path must give either the answer "yes" or "no", and the answers given must not be contradictory. We show that realtime SVOCA are strictly more powerful than realtime deterministic one-way cellular automata, since they can accept non-semilinear unary languages. It turns out that SVOCA can strongly be sped-up from lineartime to realtime. They are even capable to simulate any lineartime computation of deterministic two-way cellular automata. Closure properties and decidability problems are considered as well

An Axial Time-of-flight Mass Spectrometer for Upper Atmospheric Measurements

As the “shoreline” of the Earth’s atmosphere, the mesosphere/lower thermosphere (MLT) region is home to many interesting and important phenomena, the most visible of which are the auroras. Geomagnetic storms, in addition to causing very intense auroral activity, also deposit large amounts of energy into the earth’s ionosphere. Recent analysis of data from the Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) instrument aboard the Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics (TIMED) satellite suggests that 5.3μm emission from vibrationally excited NO is the main method of energy dissipation from energy deposited by geomagnetic storms. Additionally, NO+ has been shown to be the major contributor to geomagnetic storm induced 4.3μm nighttime emission. In order to better physically understand these two large sources of geomagnetic storm energy dissipation, a sounding rocket mission, ROCKet-borne Storm Energetics of Auroral Dosing in the E-region (ROCK-STEADE) is being proposed. The ROCK-STEADE instrument suite consists of several photometers, an interferometer, an IR spectrometer, and two time-of-flight mass spectrometers (TOFMS). The TOFMS will measure the ion and neutral compositions in the atmosphere as the sounding rocket travels through the MLT. Due to the use of microchannel plate (MCP) detectors in TOFMS, one of the major challenges to making measurements in the MLT is the high ambient pressure. Other challenges and sources of error and background include stray UV photons, scattering of gas molecules from the interior surfaces of the instrument, dissociation of molecules in the bow shock caused by the supersonic rocket flight, and reactive recombination at the surfaces of the instrument. Methods of dealing with these challenges include: • Recent advances in MCP technology allowing MCP operation into the mtorr range • Cooling the front surface of the TOFMS using liquid He to eliminate the bow shock (thus making possible the direct sampling of the ambient atmosphere) • Cryogenically cooling the interior of the instrument to eliminate scattering of gas from instrument walls and therefore also reducing the contribution of reactive recombination • Rigorous error analysis to account for the background contribution of stray U

Epistaxis in patients taking oral anticoagulant and antiplatelet medication: prospective cohort study.

AbstractObjectives:Epistaxis can be caused or exacerbated by anticoagulant and antiplatelet therapy. This prospective study assessed the prevalence of epistaxis in patients taking anticoagulant and antiplatelet medication, and monitored differences in patients’ clinical courses.Method:Prospective data were collected for consecutive patients referred with epistaxis from the emergency department over a seven-month period. Emergency department records were used to investigate prevalence and referral rates.Results:Over the study period, 290 patients presented to the emergency department with epistaxis; this represented 0.9 per cent of all emergency attendances. Of these patients, 119 (39 per cent) were referred on to the ENT department, 62 per cent of whom were currently taking anticoagulant or antiplatelet medication. Patients taking anticoagulant and antiplatelet medication were a significantly older group (relative risk 1.50 (1.08–2.28),p = 0.01) requiring longer in-patient stays (relative risk 2.50 (1.01–4.97),p = 0.01) and more aggressive local haemostasis measures. Most patients taking warfarin had an international normalised ratio outside the appropriate range for their disease. Hypertension was not a factor in these patients’ clinical course.Conclusion:Increasingly, emergency and ENT departments are being presented with epistaxis in patients taking anticoagulant or antiplatelet medication. A better understanding of such medication and its effects may enable more effective management of these patients.</jats:sec

The Making of a Self-Neglect Severity Scale

Research in elder self-neglect has lagged behind that of other forms of mistreatment, despite the fact that self-neglect is the most common allegation reported to Adult Protective Service agencies throughout the US. The lack of a gold-standard to measure self-neglect has hampered efforts to study this phenomenon. Researchers designed the Self-neglect Severity Scale (SSS) based on interviews with Adult Protective Service workers and a national expert panel. The SSS is based on observation and interview and is administered in the home to include an environmental assessment. It was piloted, extensively field tested and then revised. The CREST SSS was developed using survey data and consultation with experts in the field. This instrument utilizes observer ratings, interview responses, and assesses subjects physical and environmental domains. It also assesses functional status as it relates to health and safety issues. After field and pilot testing the SSS was finalized and is currently undergoing reliability and validity testing. The CREST SSS was developed as a state scale to provide a common language for describing cases of self-neglect. It is the first self-neglect severity scale available to researchers. If found to be both reliable and valid it can be used in future intervention studies

The hearing of fitness to practice cases by the General Medical Council: Current trends and future research agendas

Over the last three decades a risk-based model of medical regulation has emerged in the United Kingdom. To promote a risk-averse operational culture of transparency and professional accountability the regulatory state has intervened in medical governance and introduced best-evidenced practice frameworks, audit and performance appraisal, Against this background the paper analyses descriptive statistical data pertaining to the General Medical Council’s management of the process by which fitness to practice complaints against doctors are dealt with from initial receipt through to subsequent investigative and adjudication stages. Statistical trends are outlined regarding complaint data in relation to a doctor’s gender and race and ethnicity. The data shows that there has been an increase in rehabilitative and/or punitive action against doctors. In light of its findings the paper considers what the long-term consequences may be, for both patients and doctors, of the increasing use of risk-averse administrative systems to reform medical regulation and ensure professional accountability

Interplay Between Side Chain Pattern, Polymer Aggregation, and Charge Carrier Dynamics in PBDTTPD: PCBM Bulk-Heterojunction Solar Cells

Poly(benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene–alt–thieno[3,4-c]pyrrole-4,6-dione) (PBDTTPD) polymer donors with linear side-chains yield bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) solar cell power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of about 4% with phenyl-C71-butyric acid methyl ester (PC71BM) as the acceptor, while a PBDTTPD polymer with a combination of branched and linear substituents yields a doubling of the PCE to 8%. Using transient optical spectroscopy it is shown that while the exciton dissociation and ultrafast charge generation steps are not strongly affected by the side chain modifications, the polymer with branched side chains exhibits a decreased rate of nongeminate recombination and a lower fraction of sub-nanosecond geminate recombination. In turn the yield of long-lived charge carriers increases, resulting in a 33% increase in short circuit current (J sc). In parallel, the two polymers show distinct grazing incidence X-ray scattering spectra indicative of the presence of stacks with different orientation patterns in optimized thin-film BHJ devices. Independent of the packing pattern the spectroscopic data also reveals the existence of polymer aggregates in the pristine polymer films as well as in both blends which trap excitons and hinder their dissociation

Test Data Sets for Evaluating Data Visualization Techniques

In this paper we take a step toward addressing a pressing general problem in the development of data visualization systems — how to measure their effectiveness. The step we take is to define a model for specifying the generation of test data that can be em-ployed for standardized and quantitative testing of a system’s per-formance. These test data sets, in conjunction with appropriate testing procedures, can provide a basis for certifying the effective-ness of a visualization system and for conducting comparative studies to steer system development