Parametric Optimization of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Using Far red Sensitizing Dye with Cobalt Electrolyte

A far-red sensitizing dye SQ-75 has been employed as a model sensitizer with Co(bpy)2+/3+ redox electrolytes to fabricate dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) and optimize the various device parameters which influence the overall photoconversion efficiency (PCE). It has been found that the optimization of the TiO2 thickness, surface treatment with TiCl4, and an optimum amount of the chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) as coadsorber are necessary to attain the overall improved PCE. TiCl4 surface treatment on both FTO and TiO2 has been found to outperform as compared to their untreated counterparts owing to the suppression of the charge recombination. DSSCs with an optimized TiO2 thickness of 6 μm and CDCA concentration of 4 mM have exhibited best performance due to enhanced photon harvesting and reduced dye aggregation, respectively.12th International Conference on Nanomolecular Electronics (ICNME-2016), December 14-16, 2016, Kobe International Conference Center, Kobe, Japa

Improvement of radar ice-thickness measurements of Greenland outlet glaciers using SAR processing

This is the published version, also available here: http://dx.doi.org/10.3189/172756402781816852.Extensive aircraft-based radar ice-thickness measurements over the interior and outlet-glacier regions of the Greenland ice sheet have been obtained by the University of Kansas since 1993, with the latest airborne surveys conducted in May 2001. The radar has evolved during this period to a highly versatile system capable of characterizing ice thickness over a wide variety of ice-sheet conditions. Before 1997, the digital system was limited, only capable of storing incoherent data or coherent data with a very large number of presumed signals at a low pulse-repetition frequency. In 1998, the radar was upgraded with modern components allowing coherent data to be stored with a small number of presumed returns for 1024 range cells at a high pulse-repetition frequency.The new data on ice thickness of Greenland outlet glaciers are archived and made available to the scientific community in the form of radar echograms and derived ice thickness at http://tornado.rsl.ukans.edu/Greenlanddata.htm. The U.S. National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) also provides a link to these data, and NSIDC will eventually serve as the permanent archive of these data. Improvements in radar sensitivity in outlet-glacier regions have been achieved by collecting coherent radar data and applying various signal-processing techniques. Deep outlet-glacier channels that were previously unresolved with incoherent data can now be mapped using a coherent signal, signal conditioning and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) processing

LOOP POWER CONTROLLERS USING PHOTOVOLTAIC BASED BALANCING DISTRIBUTION

This paper displays a powerful Golden Section Search approach based Distribution Load Flow (DLF) for arranging of disseminated generators as PQ and/or PV hub. The pragmatic conveyance framework might have diverse sorts of burdens. The proposed DLF strategy can likewise handle a wide range of voltage ward load models. The joining of PV transport in the DLF depends on the straightforward idea and can undoubtedly be executed with some other traditional improvement strategies and also developmental procedures. This heap stream strategy can be suitable for little , medium-and extensive scale dissemination frameworks. The proposed load stream calculation is tried on dispersion frameworks with altered standard size capacitor and/or DG for different burden models to demonstrate its adequacy

AASLD Deepens Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

On June 2, 2020, the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease (AASLD) joined colleagues in gastroenterology in a joint statement condemning racism and injustice and pledging to lead change. This pledge offers a commitment to “continue to advocate for diversity in our staff and governance, grant awards to research health care disparities, ensure quality care for all, and work tirelessly to reduce inequalities in health care delivery and access.

Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Potential of Acyclic Amines and Diamines against Multi-Drug Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Multi-drug resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MDRSA) remains a great challenge despite a decade of research on antimicrobial compounds against their infections. In the present study, various acyclic amines and diamines were chemically synthesized and tested for their antimicrobial as well as antibiofilm activity against MDRSA. Among all the synthesized compounds, an acyclic diamine, (2,2′-((butane-1,4-diylbis(azanediyl)bis(methylene))diphenol) designated as ADM 3, showed better antimicrobial activity (minimum inhibitory concentration at 50 μg/mL) and antibiofilm activity (MBIC50 at 5 μg/mL). In addition, ADM 3 was capable of reducing the virulence factors expression (anti-virulence). Confocal laser scanning microscope analysis of the in vitro tested urinary catheters showed biofilm reduction as well as bacterial killing by ADM 3. On the whole, our data suggest that acyclic diamines, especially ADM 3 can be a potent lead for the further studies in alternative therapeutic approaches

Photoluminescence and photoluminescence excitation studies in 80 MeV Ni ion irradiated MOCVD grown GaN

We report damage creation and annihilation under energetic ion bombardment at a fixed thence. MOCVD grown GaN thin films were irradiated with 80 MeV Ni ions at a thence of 1 x 10(13) ions/cm(2). Irradiated GaN thin films were subjected to rapid thermal annealing for 60 s in nitrogen atmosphere to anneal out the defects. The effects of defects on luminescence were explored with photoluminescence measurements. Room temperature photoluminescence spectra from pristine sample revealed presence of band to band transition besides unwanted yellow luminescence. Irradiated GaN does not show any band to band transition but there is a strong peak at 450 nm which is attributed to ion induced defect blue luminescence. However, irradiated and subsequently annealed samples show improved band to band transitions and a significant decrease in yellow luminescence intensity due to annihilation of defects which were created during irradiation. Irradiation induced effects on yellow and blue emissions are discussed. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

A dynamic lithosphere–asthenosphere boundary near the equatorial Mid-Atlantic Ridge

In plate tectonic theory a weak asthenosphere is required to facilitate the motions of the rigid plates. Partial melt could weaken the mantle, in turn impacting convection, but to date the existence of persistent melt has remained controversial. A wide range of scenarios has been reported in terms of the location, amount and pathways of melt. Here we use data collected by 39 ocean bottom seismometers deployed near the equatorial Mid-Atlantic Ridge on 0 to 80 Myr old seafloor. We calculate S-to-P (Sp) receiver functions and perform waveform modeling. We jointly interpret with shear-wave velocity tomography from surface waves and magnetotelluric (MT) imaging to take advantage of a range of resolutions and sensitivities and illuminate the structure of the oceanic lithosphere and the underlying asthenosphere. We image a tectonic plate thickness that increases with age in one location but undulates in another location. We infer thin and slightly thicker melt channels and punctuated regions of ascending partial melt several hundred kilometers off the ridge axis. This suggests melt persists over geologic timescales, although its character is dynamic, with implications for the lithosphere–asthenosphere boundary (LAB) and the driving forces of the plates. Ascending melt intermittently feeds melt channels at the base of the plate. The associated melt-enhanced buoyancy increases the influence of ridge-push in driving plate motions, whereas the channelized melt reduces the resistance of the plates to motion. Therefore, melt dynamics may play a larger role in controlling plate tectonics than previously thought

Parametric Optimization of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Using Far red Sensitizing Dye with Cobalt Electrolyte

A far-red sensitizing dye SQ-75 has been employed as a model sensitizer with Co(bpy)2+/3+ redox electrolytes to fabricate dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) and optimize the various device parameters which influence the overall photoconversion efficiency (PCE). It has been found that the optimization of the TiO2 thickness, surface treatment with TiCl4, and an optimum amount of the chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) as coadsorber are necessary to attain the overall improved PCE. TiCl4 surface treatment on both FTO and TiO2 has been found to outperform as compared to their untreated counterparts owing to the suppression of the charge recombination. DSSCs with an optimized TiO2 thickness of 6 μm and CDCA concentration of 4 mM have exhibited best performance due to enhanced photon harvesting and reduced dye aggregation, respectively.12th International Conference on Nanomolecular Electronics (ICNME-2016), December 14-16, 2016, Kobe International Conference Center, Kobe, Japa