A review on applications of Cu2ZnSnS4 as alternative counter electrodes in dye-sensitized solar cells

This is the final version. Available from AIP Publishing via the DOI in this record. A contribution of counter electrode (CE) emphasis a great impact towards enhancement of a dye-sensitized solar cell's (DSSC) performance and Pt based CE sets a significant benchmark in this field. Owing to cost effective noble metal, less abundance and industrial large scale application purpose, an effective replacement for Pt is highly demanded. There are several approaches to improve the performance of a CE for enhancing the power conversion efficiency with a less costly and facile device. To address this issue, reasonable efforts execute to find out suitable replacement of Pt is becoming a challenge by keeping the same electrochemical properties of Pt in a cheaper and eco-friendlier manner. With this, cheaper element based quaternary chalcogenide, Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) becomes a prominent alternative to Pt and used as a successful CE in DSSC also. This review presents brief discussion about the basic properties of CZTS including its synthesis strategy, physicochemical properties and morphology execution and ultimate application as an alternative Pt free CE for a low cost based enhanced DSSC device. It is therefore, imperative for engineering of CZTS material and optimization of the fabrication method for the improvement of DSSC performance.Research Council of Norwa

Development of new microalgae-based sourdough "crostini": functional aspects of Arthrospira platensis (spirulina) addition

The aim of this work was to evaluate the influence of Arthrospira platensis F&M-C256 (spirulina) incorporation on the nutritional and functional properties of “crostini”, a leavened bakery product largely consumed in Italy and Europe. Sourdough was used as leavening and fermentation agent and three concentrations of A. platensis F&M-C256 were tested: 2%, 6% and 10% (w/w). Despite a lower volume increase compared to the control, the A. platensis F&M-C256 “crostini” doughs reached a technological appropriate volume after fermentation. At the end of fermentation, no significant differences in microorganisms concentrations were observed. A. platensis F&M-C256 “crostini” showed higher protein content compared to the control. Considering the European Commission Regulation on nutritional claims, “crostini” incorporated with 6% and 10% biomass can be claimed to be a “source of protein”. Six and ten percent A. platensis “crostini” also presented significantly higher antioxidant capacity and phenolics. A significantly lower value of in vitro dry matter and protein digestibility between A. platensis F&M-C256 “crostini” and the control was found. The overall acceptability decreased with increasing A. platensis F&M-C256 addition. The combination of spirulina biomass addition and the sourdough technology led to the development of a novel microalgae-based bakery product with nutritional and functional featuresinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Alzheimer’s disease: diagnostics, prognostics and the road to prevention

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) presents one of the leading healthcare challenges of the 21st century, with a projected worldwide prevalence of >107 million cases by 2025. While biomarkers have been identified, which may correlate with disease progression or subtype for the purpose of disease monitoring or differential diagnosis, a biomarker for reliable prediction of late onset disease risk has not been available until now. This deficiency in reliable predictive biomarkers, coupled with the devastating nature of the disease, places AD at a high priority for focus by predictive, preventive and personalized medicine. Recent data, discovered using phylogenetic analysis, suggest that a variable length poly-T sequence polymorphism in the TOMM40 gene, adjacent to the APOE gene, is predictive of risk of AD age-of-onset when coupled with a subject’s current age. This finding offers hope for reliable assignment of disease risk within a 5-7 year window, and is expected to guide enrichment of clinical trials in order to speed development of preventative medicines

The dominant Anopheles vectors of human malaria in the Asia-Pacific region: occurrence data, distribution maps and bionomic précis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The final article in a series of three publications examining the global distribution of 41 dominant vector species (DVS) of malaria is presented here. The first publication examined the DVS from the Americas, with the second covering those species present in Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Here we discuss the 19 DVS of the Asian-Pacific region. This region experiences a high diversity of vector species, many occurring sympatrically, which, combined with the occurrence of a high number of species complexes and suspected species complexes, and behavioural plasticity of many of these major vectors, adds a level of entomological complexity not comparable elsewhere globally. To try and untangle the intricacy of the vectors of this region and to increase the effectiveness of vector control interventions, an understanding of the contemporary distribution of each species, combined with a synthesis of the current knowledge of their behaviour and ecology is needed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Expert opinion (EO) range maps, created with the most up-to-date expert knowledge of each DVS distribution, were combined with a contemporary database of occurrence data and a suite of open access, environmental and climatic variables. Using the Boosted Regression Tree (BRT) modelling method, distribution maps of each DVS were produced. The occurrence data were abstracted from the formal, published literature, plus other relevant sources, resulting in the collation of DVS occurrence at 10116 locations across 31 countries, of which 8853 were successfully geo-referenced and 7430 were resolved to spatial areas that could be included in the BRT model. A detailed summary of the information on the bionomics of each species and species complex is also presented.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This article concludes a project aimed to establish the contemporary global distribution of the DVS of malaria. The three articles produced are intended as a detailed reference for scientists continuing research into the aspects of taxonomy, biology and ecology relevant to species-specific vector control. This research is particularly relevant to help unravel the complicated taxonomic status, ecology and epidemiology of the vectors of the Asia-Pacific region. All the occurrence data, predictive maps and EO-shape files generated during the production of these publications will be made available in the public domain. We hope that this will encourage data sharing to improve future iterations of the distribution maps.</p

Farmers perception on research gaps in inter/mixed cropping system in Kachchh Gujarat

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