1,090 research outputs found
Limits on the use of cobalt sulfide as anode of p-type dye-sensitized solar cells
Thin films of cobalt sulfide (CoS) of thickness l < 10m have been employed as anodes of p-type dye-sensitized solar cells (p-DSCs) when P1-sensitized nickel oxide (NiO) was the photoactive cathode and /I - constituted the redox mediator. In the role of counter electrode for p-DSCs, CoS was preferred over traditional platinized fluorine-doped indium oxide (Pt-FTO) due to the lower cost of the starting materials (Co salts) and the easier procedure of deposition onto large area substrates. The latter process was carried out via direct precipitation of CoS from aqueous solutions. The photoconversion efficiency (η) of the corresponding device was 0.07%. This value is about 35% less than the efficiency that is obtained with the analogous p-DSC employing the Pt-FTO anode (η = 0.11). Unlike p-DSCs based on Pt-FTO anodes, the photoelectrochemical cells employing CoS electrodes showed that this anodic material was not able to sustain the photocurrent densities generated by P1-sensitized NiO at a given photopotential. Illumination of the p-DSCs with CoS anodes and P1-sensitized NiO cathodes actually induced the reverse bias of the photoelectrochemical cell with CoS behaving like a p-type semiconductor with no degeneracy. © 2017 IOP Publishing Ltd
Perceived barriers for treatment of chronic heart failure in general practice; are they affecting performance?
Second messenger analogues highlight unexpected substrate sensitivity of CD38: total synthesis of the hybrid âL-cyclic inosine 5'-diphosphate riboseâ
The multifunctional, transmembrane glycoprotein human CD38 catalyses the synthesis of three key Ca2+-mobilising messengers, including cyclic adenosine 5âČ-diphosphate ribose (cADPR), and CD38 knockout studies have revealed the relevance of the related signalling pathways to disease. To generate inhibitors of CD38 by total synthesis, analogues based on the cyclic inosine 5âČ-diphosphate ribose (cIDPR) template were synthesised. In the first example of a sugar hybrid cIDPR analogue, âL-cIDPRâ, the natural ânorthernâ N1-linked D-ribose of cADPR was replaced by L-ribose. L-cIDPR is surprisingly still hydrolysed by CD38, whereas 8-Br-L-cIDPR is not cleaved, even at high enzyme concentrations. Thus, the inhibitory activity of L-cIDPR analogues appears to depend upon substitution of the base at C-8; 8-Br-L-cIDPR and 8-NH2-L-cIDPR inhibit CD38-mediated cADPR hydrolysis (IC50 7 ÎŒM and 21â”M respectively) with 8-Br-L-cIDPR over 20-fold more potent than 8-Br-cIDPR. In contrast, L-cIDPR displays a comparative 75-fold reduction in activity, but is only ca 2-fold less potent than cIDPR itself. Molecular modelling was used to explore the interaction of the CD38 catalytic residue Glu-226 with the ânorthernâ ribose. We propose that Glu226 still acts as the catalytic residue even for an L-sugar substrate. 8-Br-L-cIDPR potentially binds non-productively in an upside-down fashion. Results highlight the key role of the ânorthernâ ribose in the interaction of cADPR with CD38
Perceived barriers for treatment of chronic heart failure in general practice; are they affecting performance?
BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to determine to what extent barriers perceived by general practitioners (GPs) for prescribing angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-I) in chronic heart failure (CHF) patients are related to underuse and underdosing of these drugs in actual practice. METHODS: Barriers were assessed with a semi-structured questionnaire. Prescribing data were extracted from GPs' computerised medical records for a random sample of their CHF patients. Relations between barriers and prescribing behaviour were assessed by means of Spearman rank correlation and multivariate regression modelling. RESULTS: GPs prescribed ACE-I to 45% of their patients and had previously initiated such treatment in an additional 3.5%, in an average standardised dose of 13.5 mg. They perceived a median of four barriers in prescribing ACE-I or optimising ACE-I dose. Many GPs found it difficult to change treatment initiated by a cardiologist. Furthermore, initiating ACE-I in patients already using a diuretic or stable on their current medication was perceived as barrier. Titrating the ACE-I dose was seen as difficult by more than half of the GPs. No significant relationships could be found between the barriers perceived and actual ACE-I prescribing. Regarding ACE-I dosing, the few GPs who did not agree that the ACE-I should be as high as possible prescribed higher ACE-I doses. CONCLUSION: Variation between GPs in prescribing ACE-I for CHF cannot be explained by differences in the barriers they perceive. Tailor-made interventions targeting only those doctors that perceive a specific barrier will therefore not be an efficient approach to improve quality of car
Rashba spin-orbit coupling and spin relaxation in silicon quantum wells
Silicon is a leading candidate material for spin-based devices, and
two-dimensional electron gases (2DEGs) formed in silicon heterostructures have
been proposed for both spin transport and quantum dot quantum computing
applications. The key parameter for these applications is the spin relaxation
time. Here we apply the theory of D'yakonov and Perel' (DP) to calculate the
electron spin resonance linewidth of a silicon 2DEG due to structural inversion
asymmetry for arbitrary static magnetic field direction at low temperatures. We
estimate the Rashba spin-orbit coupling coefficient in silicon quantum wells
and find the and times of the spins from this mechanism as a
function of momentum scattering time, magnetic field, and device-specific
parameters. We obtain agreement with existing data for the angular dependence
of the relaxation times and show that the magnitudes are consistent with the DP
mechanism. We suggest how to increase the relaxation times by appropriate
device design.Comment: Extended derivations and info, fixed typos and refs, updated figs and
data. Worth a re-downloa
The effect of temperature on mobility of Angiostrongylus costaricensis third stage larvae
AnĂĄlise contrastiva de produçÔes em portuguĂȘs de estudantes hispanofalantes: questĂ”es de acentuação
Anais e artigos do 28Âș FĂłrum AcadĂȘmico de Letras, realizado nos dias 23 a 25 de agosto de 2017 na Universidade Federal da Integração Latino-Americana (Unila) e Universidade Estadual do Oeste do ParanĂĄ (Unioeste) com tema: A pesquisa nos cursos de letras em contexto de lĂnguas e culturas em contato.A insuficiĂȘncia de estudos contrastivos que contemplem as dificuldades de uso da
acentuação em produçÔes de universitĂĄrios hispanofalantes aprendizes de portuguĂȘs, impulsionou a
realização deste trabalho. Com base nas regras de acentuação grĂĄfica presentes na âModerna
GramĂĄtica Portuguesaâ (Bechara, 2009) e na âGramĂĄtica Contrastiva del Español para Brasileñosâ
(Fernåndez e Moreno, 2007) foi realizada a anålise e descrição de erros de acentuação nas produçÔes
em portuguĂȘs de estudantes hispanofalantes do nĂvel bĂĄsico. Em tal contexto, as dificuldades no
emprego da acentuação do portuguĂȘs brasileiro ocorrem, principalmente, devido a uma interferĂȘncia
das regras da lĂngua materna bem como da distinção entre vogais orais e nasais, ocasionando uma
omissĂŁo ou acrĂ©scimo de acento equivocado. Visando minimizar a recorrĂȘncia de tais erros por parte
dos estudantes hispanofalantes em suas produçÔes em portuguĂȘs, sĂŁo sugeridas propostas de
abordagens para que o estudante por meio do contraste das regras de acentuação do portuguĂȘs e do
espanhol consiga ter um melhor desempenh
Please Stand and be Recognized: Examining Individualsâ Attitudes and Behaviors Regarding Colleges and Universities that Honor Veterans
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