Bank Default Risk Propagation along Supply Chains: Evidence from the U.K.

How does banks’ default risk affect the probability of default of non-financial businesses? The literature has addressed this question by focusing on the direct effects on the banks’ corporate customers – demonstrating the existence of bank-induced incre

Enhancement of photoelectrochemical and optical characteristics using a TiO2 nanoparticles interlayer in MEH-PPV heterojunction devices

International audienc

Corona discharge experiments in admixtures of N2 and CH4: a laboratory simulation of Titan's atmosphere

A positive corona discharge fed by a N2:CH4 mixture (98:2) at atmospheric pressure and ambient temperature has been studied as a laboratory mimic of the chemical processes occurring in the atmosphere of Titan, Saturn's largest moon. In-situ measurements of UV and IR transmission spectra within the discharge have shown that the main chemical product is C2H2, produced by dissociation of CH4, with small but significant traces of ethane and HCN, all species that have been detected in Titan's atmosphere. A small amount (0.2 %) CH4 was decomposed after 12 minutes of treatment requiring an average energy of 2.7 kWh/g. After 14 minutes the discharge was terminated due to the formation of a solid yellow deposit on the central wire electrode. Such a deposit is similar to that observed in other discharges and is believed to be an analogue of the aerosol and dust observed in Titan's atmosphere and is composed of chemcial species commonly knonw as 'tholins'. We have also explored the electrical properties of the discharge. The admixture of methane into nitrogen caused an increase in onset voltage of the discharge and consequently led to a reduction in the measured discharge current

Influenţa perioadei de păstrare asupra variaţiei conţinutului de fenoli la cireşe

The paper deals with bio-compounds preservation in soft fruits during storage in order to allow their consumption in off-season. The work addresses sweet cherries, the most popular consumed fruits in countries across the temperate regions like Romania, which the consumer can enjoy only in May-July period. Consequently, the aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of storage conditions on the yield of biologically active compounds. In this respect, the content of total phenols and flavonoids, and free radical scavenging activity have been analyzed in order to enable consumers to choose the most efficient storage method. The best characteristics cultivar offering the potential prospects for growers is also highlighted. Sweet cherries provided by ‘New Star’, ‘Celeste’ and ‘Giant Red’ cultivars were stored for 7 days in refrigerated and freezing conditionsand then subjected to the extraction method with hydrochloric acid in methanol. Using Folin-Ciocâlteu method total phenols content of the extracts was determined. The flavonoid content was identified using an adapted method based on rutin as reference sample. The free radical scavenging activity(EC50)of the extracts was determined using stabile 2,2 diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical. The results showed that high phenols and flavonoids contents are in ‘N Star’ cultivar (0.144 g in fresh fruits and 0.129 g refrigerated ones) while the free radical scavenging activity is better conserved in frozen fruits from ‘Celeste’ cultivar (5.94 mg/mL)

Ellipsometry study of TiO2:N thin films prepared by sol-gel method

Date du colloque : 09/2011International audienc

Optical properties of Nb-doped TiO2 thin films prepared by sol–gel method

In this work, we studied optical properties of pure and Nb-doped TiO2 synthesized using a sol gel method and deposited as thin films by spin-coating followed by annealing in air at 500 degrees C for 1 h. The surface elemental composition was derived from X-ray photoelectron spectra, while structure and surface morphology were investigated using X-ray diffraction and atomic force/scanning electron microscopy. Finally, the optical properties were investigated by means of UV-vis spectrophotometry and spectroscopic ellipsometry.  The Nb content was determined from XPS measurements to vary between 1.8 and 4.3 at%. The XRD patterns of the deposited thin films, with a maximum thickness of about 56 nm, showed no diffraction peaks. As proven both by microscopy and spectroscopic ellipsometry studies doping TiO2 with Nb modified the surface morphology of the samples; the grain size is increasing while the surface roughness decreases with the increase in Nb content. This is accompanied by a decrease in the refractive index and an increase of the extinction coefficient.

Structural insight into African horsesickness virus infection

African horsesickness (AHS) is a devastating disease of horses. The disease is caused by the double-stranded RNA-containing African horsesickness virus (AHSV). Using electron cryomicroscopy and three-dimensional image reconstruction, we determined the architecture of an AHSV serotype 4 (AHSV-4) reference strain. The structure revealed triple-layered AHS virions enclosing the segmented genome and transcriptase complex. The innermost protein layer contains 120 copies of VP3, with the viral polymerase, capping enzyme, and helicase attached to the inner surface of the VP3 layer on the 5-fold axis, surrounded by double-stranded RNA. VP7 trimers form a second, T 13 layer on top of VP3. Comparative analyses of the structures of bluetongue virus and AHSV-4 confirmed that VP5 trimers form globular domains and VP2 trimers form triskelions, on the virion surface. We also identified an AHSV-7 strain with a truncated VP2 protein (AHSV-7 tVP2) which outgrows AHSV-4 in culture. Comparison of AHSV-7 tVP2 to bluetongue virus and AHSV-4 allowed mapping of two domains in AHSV-4 VP2, and one in bluetongue virus VP2, that are important in infection. We also revealed a protein plugging the 5-fold vertices in AHSV-4. These results shed light on virus-host interactions in an economically important orbivirus to help the informed design of new vaccines