Facile kinetics of Li-ion intake causes superior rate capability in multiwalled carbon nanotube@TiO2 nanocomposite battery anodes

Nanotechnology produces hybrids with superior properties than its individual constituents. Here MWCNT@TiO2 composites have been synthesized by controlled hydrolysis of titanium isopropoxide over MWCNT, to be incorporated into Li-ion battery electrodes. Outstanding rate capability of the coated nanotubes is observed in comparison to pristine TiO2. Specific storage capacity as high as 250 mAh g−1 is achieved for the nanocomposite electrode which doubles that encountered for TiO2-based anodes. The mechanism explaining the enhancement in power performance has been revealed by means of electrochemical impedance methods. Although both pristine TiO2 and MWCNT@TiO2 would potentially exhibit comparable specific capacity, the charge transfer resistance for the latter is reduced by a factor 10, implying a key role of MWCNTs to favor the interfacial Li+ ion intake from the electrolyte. MWCNT efficiently provides electrons to the nanostructure through the Ti–C bond which assists the Li+ ion incorporation. These findings provide access to the detailed lithiation kinetics of a broad class of nanocomposites for battery applications

Enhanced photocatalytic activity of TiO2 films by modification with polyethylene glycol

Titanium dioxide porous thin films on the Anatase phase were deposited onto glass slides by the sol-gel method assisted with polyethylene glycol (PEG). The dip-coated films were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA and DTG), UV-visible spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The photocatalytic activity of the films was determined by means of methyl-orange oxidation tests. The resultant PEG-modified films were crack-free and developed a porous structure after calcination at 500 °C. Photo-oxidation tests showed the dependency of catalytic activity of the films on the number of layers (thickness) and porosity, i.e. of the interfacial area

Care Systematization in Pediatric 1ursing Applying Case-based Reasoning

Abstract--It is very difficult to find and collect nursing diagnoses in hospitals, where various clinical records and procedures are done by hand and manually stored on paper form. This condition impairs the readability of hospital process documents, and the archival method makes the information recovery very slow, which ultimately frustrates the search which could result in important information to improve the decision making process. The aim of this paper is to present an application to help the nurses in the clinical reasoning, keeping their experiences as a collection of cases for future research. The process is to scan diagnoses of pediatric nursing, and insert them into a case database, in a structure that provides for recovery, adaptation, indexing and comparison of cases, to be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the prototype application in handling these cases. This article presents a computational tool for health care support, employing techniques of case based reasoning, whose performance was satisfactory in the location of cases directly related to the presented test case. This fact suggests that the prototype presented is able to recover diagnoses made previously and it is of great importance for decision-making and improvement of diagnoses

Relationship Contexts as Sources of Socialization: An Exploration of Intimate Partner Violence Experiences of Economically Disadvantaged African American Adolescents

Intimate partner violence (IPV) among African Americans is a serious public health concern. Research suggest that African Americans adolescents, particularly those from economically disadvantaged communities, are at heightened risk for experiencing and perpetrating dating violence compared to youth from other racial and ethnic groups. In the present study, we examined different relationship contexts that are sources of IPV socialization. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 22 economically disadvantaged African American adolescents. Content analysis yielded five relationship contexts through which the participants witnessed, experienced, and perpetrated IPV: (a) adolescents’ own dating relationships (64%), (b) siblings and extended family members (e.g., cousins, aunts, uncles) (59%), (c) parent-partners (27%), (d) friends (23%), and (e) neighbors (18%). Adolescents also frequently described IPV in their own dating relationships and in parent-partner relationships as mutual. Moreover, they appeared to minimize the experience of IPV in their own relationships. Efforts to reduce rates of IPV among economically disadvantaged African American adolescents should consider these relational contexts through which adolescents are socialized with regards to IPV and adolescents’ beliefs about mutual violence in relationships. Results highlight the importance of culturally relevant prevention and intervention programs that consider these relationship contexts

Las nuevas tecnologías audiovisuales frente a los procesos tradicionales de comunicación

Este libro intenta explicar cómo las nuevas tecnologías influyen en los procesos tradicionales de comunicación. Y lo hace a través de un conjunto de investigaciones centradas en tres aspectos importantes: en la televisión, en el internauta como generador de contenidos en la red y en la comunicación social. De esta manera, en el primer capítulo nos centraremos en la relación de Internet con la televisión social prestando especial atención a la red social Twitter. En el segundo capítulo, analizamos cómo el usuario de Internet se convierte en un generador de contenidos y de opinión como periodista ciudadano o como opinador espontáneo. En el último capítulo, observamos el papel de las TIC (Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación) en los procesos tradicionales de comunicación social. Estos últimos análisis ofrecen una visión de las TIC desde varios puntos de vista que van desde la brecha tecnológica de género hasta la visión educativa de la penetración del iPad en las aulas