Enhanced dissociation of charge-transfer states in narrow band gap polymer:fullerene solar cells processed with 1,8-octanedithiol

The improved photovoltaic performance of narrow band gap polymer:fullerene solar cells processed from solutions containing small amounts of 1,8-octanedithiol is analyzed by modeling of the experimental photocurrent. In contrast to devices that are spin coated from pristine chlorobenzene, these cells do not produce a recombination-limited photocurrent. Modeling of the experimental data reveals that a sixfold reduction in the decay rate of photogenerated bound electron–hole pairs can account for the marked increase in short-circuit current density and fill factor. At short-circuit conditions, the dissociation probability of bound pairs is found to increase from 48% to 70%.

Effectiveness of single dose rifampicin in preventing leprosy in close contacts of patients with newly diagnosed leprosy

Objective To determine the effectiveness of chemoprophylaxis using a single dose of rifampicin to prevent leprosy in close contacts. Design Single centre, double blind, cluster randomised, placebo controlled trial. SettingLeprosy control programme in two districts of northwest Bangladesh with a population of more than four million. Participants28 092 close contacts of 1037 patients with newly diagnosed leprosy. 21 711 contacts fulfilled the study requirements. Interventions A single dose of rifampicin or placebo given to close contacts in the second month of starting the index patient’s treatment, with follow-up for four years. Main outcome measure Development of clinical leprosy. Results 18 869 of the 21 711 contacts (86.9%) were followed-up at four years. Ninety one of 9452 contacts in the placebo group and 59 of 9417 in the rifampicin group had developed leprosy. The overall reduction in incidence of leprosy using a single dose of rifampicin in the first two years was 57% (95% confidence interval 33% to 72%). The groups did not differ between two and four years. The overall number needed to treat (NNT) to prevent a single case of leprosy among contacts was 297 (95% confidence interval 176 to 537). Differences were found between subgroups at two years, both in reduction of incidence and in NNT. ConclusionA single dose of rifampicin given to contacts of patients with newly diagnosed leprosy is effective at preventing the development of clinical leprosy at two years. The effect was maintained, but no difference was seen between the placebo and rifampicin groups beyond two years. Trial registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN61223447

Determining the internal quantum efficiency of highly efficient polymer solar cells through optical modeling

A power conversion efficiency of 4.2% (AM1.5, 1000 W/m(2)) is measured for an organic solar cell based on an active layer of an alternating copolymer, containing a fluorene and a benzothiadiazole unit with two neighboring thiophene rings, and a fullerene derivative. Using optical modeling, the absorption profile in the active layer of the solar cell is calculated and used to calculate the maximum short circuit current. The calculated currents are compared with measured currents from current-voltage measurements for various film thicknesses. From this the internal quantum efficiency is estimated to be 75% at the maximum for the best device. (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics

Preventing Nerve Function Impairment in Leprosy: Validation and Updating of a Prediction Rule

Leprosy is caused by a bacterium that attacks the peripheral nerves. This may cause nerve function impairment (NFI), resulting in handicaps and disabilities. Therefore, prediction and prevention of NFI is extremely important in the management of leprosy. In 2000, a prediction rule for NFI was published, but circumstances have changed since the study was performed in the 1990s: the leprosy detection delay has shortened and the definition of NFI has changed. The original rule used ‘leprosy classification’ and ‘NFI present at diagnosis’ to predict future NFI. In the current patient population we studied an adjusted rule based on ‘leprosy classification’ and ‘presence of antibodies’. This adjusted rule predicted NFI more often than the original rule. With the adjusted rule it is now also possible to assess NFI risk before the first nerve damage event takes place. This may help doctors and health workers to improve surveillance for people at high risk. Early detection and treatment can then prevent permanent disabilities

Fracture behaviour of unmodified and rubber-modified epoxies under hydrostatic pressure

The fracture toughness and uniaxial tensile yield strengths of unmodified and CTBN-rubber-modified epoxies were measured under hydrostatic pressure. The purpose of these experiments was to learn how suppressing cavitation in rubber particles affects the deformation mechanisms and the fracture toughness of rubber-modified epoxy. It was found that the cavitation of CTBN-rubber could be suppressed at a relatively low pressure (between 30 and 38 M Pa). With cavitation suppressed, the rubber particles are unable to induce massive shearyielding in the epoxy matrix, and the fracture toughness of the rubber-modified epoxy is no higher than that of the unmodified epoxy in the pressure range studied. Unmodified epoxy shows a brittle-to-ductile transition in fracture toughness test. The reason for this transition is the postponement of the cracking process by applied pressure.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/44734/1/10853_2005_Article_BF01154701.pd

Simulations of merging in a two co-rotating vortex system

All aircraft shed, as a consequence of lift, a wake ("vorticity sheet") which rapidly rolls up into several concentrated vortices at a distance of a few chords behind the trailing edge of the wing. A simplified configuration has been adopted to understand the physical mechanisms characterizing the merging process in the extended near-field. This consists in two co-rotating and symmetric (i.e same core size and circulation vortices, corresponding to the two vortices generated at wing and flap tip, respectively. Both the Lamb-Oseen and the Jacquin VM2 vortex models were used as numerical initial conditions. Two dimensional Direct Numerical Simulations (DNS) were first conducted at low Reynolds numbers to study the merging in stable conditions. A so-called convective stage is identified which is critical in the stable merging process. It starts when the ratio between the vortex core size a and the separation distance b of the two vortices reaches the critical value a/b~0.24 for the Reynolds numbers considered (750< Re<10000). It is known that the vortex system might experience an elliptic short wavelength instability during the merging process at high Reynolds numbers. A second set of three-dimensional simulations (DNS/LES) was then carried out to analyse the development of such a short wavelength instability. The development of the instability was analysed by either looking at the flow topology or by tracking the energy spectrum of the system. The resulting (unstable) vortex has a two-scale tangential velocity profile as in the case of two-dimensional (stable) merging. However the unstable merging is faster than the stable merging