Updated taxonomy of Lactifluus section Luteoli : L. russulisporus from Australia and L. caliendrifer from Thailand

Lactifluus russulisporus Dierickx & De Crop and Lactifluus caliendrifer Froyen & De Crop are described from eucalypt forests in Queensland, Australia and different forest types in Thailand, respectively. Both species have recently been published on Index Fungorum and fit morphologically and molecularly in L. sect. Luteoli, a section within L. subg. Gymnocarpi that encompasses species with alboochraceous basidiomes, white latex that stains brown and typical capitate elements in the pileipellis and/or marginal cells

ACQA: an instrument for accrediation and quality assurance in engineering curricula?

Copyright © 2015 SEFI. In the last decennium learning outcomes became a key factor in accreditation procedures and in quality assurance in higher education in Europe. Competence profiles are considered to be crucial in the evaluation of study programmes. In this paper we describe the use of the ACQA framework in evaluating learning outcomes of several bachelor and master engineering programmes at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven. The resulting competence profiles were well recognised by programme directors. They were actively used for accreditation reports and for discussions in educational committees. Lecturers are enthusiastic about the use of individual discussions. The ACQA criteria offer them a standardised vocabulary for use in syllabi or in discussions with colleagues. For the engineering faculties involved in this study, the implementation of ACQA makes a positive stimulus in fine-tuning accreditation and quality assurance procedures.status: publishe

Updated taxonomy of Lactifluus section Luteoli: L. russulisporus from Australia and L. caliendrifer from Thailand

Lactifluus russulisporus Dierickx & De Crop and Lactifluus caliendrifer Froyen & De Crop are described from eucalypt forests in Queensland, Australia and different forest types in Thailand, respectively. Both species have recently been published on Index Fungorum and fit morphologically and molecularly in L. sect. Luteoli, a section within L. subg. Gymnocarpi that encompasses species with alboochraceous basidiomes, white latex that stains brown and typical capitate elements in the pileipellis and/or marginal cells

High efficiency perovskite solar cells using a PCBM/ZnO double electron transport layer and a short air-aging step

© 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Solution processed CH3NH3PbIxCl3-x based planar heterojunction perovskite solar cells with power conversion efficiency (PCE) above 14% are reported. The devices benefit from a phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM)/ZnO double electron transport layer (ETL) as well as a short air-aging step. The role of the additional ZnO ETL is studied by scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and secondary ions mass spectroscopy (SIMS). Apart from improving the energy level alignment, the ZnO layer blocks the reactions between the metal electrode and perovskite components, increasing the air stability of the device. A crucial step in our processing is a short air-aging step for the device, which significantly increases the device performance by reducing the recombination process. Since the ZnO nanoparticle layer requires no thermal annealing, the maximum temperature to fabricate the device can be kept below 100 °C, making this structure compatible with roll-to-roll processing on plastic films.status: publishe

High efficiency perovskite solar cells using a PCBM/ZnO double electron transport layer and a short air-aging step

Solution processed CH3NH3PbIxCl3–x based planar heterojunction perovskite solar cells with power conversion efficiency (PCE) above 14% are reported. The devices benefit from a phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM)/ZnO double electron transport layer (ETL) as well as a short air-aging step. The role of the additional ZnO ETL is studied by scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and secondary ions mass spectroscopy (SIMS). Apart from improving the energy level alignment, the ZnO layer blocks the reactions between the metal electrode and perovskite components, increasing the air stability of the device. A crucial step in our processing is a short air-aging step for the device, which significantly increases the device performance by reducing the recombination process. Since the ZnO nanoparticle layer requires no thermal annealing, the maximum temperature to fabricate the device can be kept below 100 °C, making this structure compatible with roll-to-roll processing on plastic films

Low magnetic fields behavior of photon echo in LuLiF4:Er3+

It is reported about the first observation and studying of the photon echo in LuLiF4:Er3+. The energy transition is 4I15/2 → 4F9/ 2 (λ = 6536 Å). The density of ErF3 is 0.025 wt%. The operation temperature is 1.9 K. Measurements were spent at low (up to 1200 Oe) and even zero external magnetic fields. It was studied a behavior of the photon echo intensity versus the magnetic field mgnitude and direction about the crystal axis C and versus the laser pulse separation t12. It was observed an expotential growth and then, after some plateau, an exponential decreasing of the photon echo intensity as a function of magnetic field with increasing of the magnetic field from zero value. The parameters describing the exponential growth and decreasing are not depended on direction of magnetic field. Value of a magnetic field at which the echo intensity accepts the maximum, and quantity of this maximum decrease with increased the pulse sepatation t12 and the angle θ between the magnetic field and crystals axis. The echo intensity expotentially decreases with increased θ. The parameter describing the exponential decreasing is not depended on the magnitude of the field. The echo intensity as a function of pulse separation shows exponential decay. The phase relaxation time is depended on the magnitude and direction of the magnetic field. T2 is equal to 202±16 ns at zero magnetic field. Phenomenological formula is suggested, which qualitatively presents the mentioned dependencies. Polarization properties of the backward photon echo in this crystal are studied also. A graph is presented. Echo size versus magnetic field directed as along optic axis as at an angle of θ = 5° of different values of t12. The color symbols show experimental points. The solid curves were calculated using experession (1). The Y-scale is logarithmic. © 2006 by Astro Ltd. Published exclusively by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA

The mitochondrial solute carrier SLC25A5 at Xq24 is a novel candidate gene for non-syndromic intellectual disability

Loss-of-function mutations in several different neuronal pathways have been related to intellectual disability (ID). Such mutations often are found on the X chromosome in males since they result in functional null alleles. So far, microdeletions at Xq24 reported in males always have been associated with a syndromic form of ID due to the loss of UBE2A. Here, we report on overlapping microdeletions at Xq24 that do not include UBE2A or affect its expression, in patients with non-syndromic ID plus some additional features from three unrelated families. The smallest region of overlap, confirmed by junction sequencing, harbors two members of the mitochondrial solute carrier family 25, SLC25A5 and SLC25A43. However, identification of an intragenic microdeletion including SLC25A43 but not SLC25A5 in a healthy boy excluded a role for SLC25A43 in cognition. Therefore, our findings point to SLC25A5 as a novel gene for non-syndromic ID. This highly conserved gene is expressed ubiquitously with high levels in cortex and hippocampus, and a presumed role in mitochondrial exchange of ADP/ATP. Our data indicate that SLC25A5 is involved in memory formation or establishment, which could add mitochondrial processes to the wide array of pathways that regulate normal cognitive functions.status: publishe