High-Voltage Energy Harvesting and Storage System for Internet of Things Indoor Application

On the path toward independence from fossil fuels, solar energy is the mostpromising solution, but it needs a robust and reliable storage system to face itsintrinsicfluctuations due to location, day cycle, and weather. The integrationbetween energy harvesting and storage (H&S) technologies is a must toward cleanenergy production, and it becomes even more appealing considering the possi-bility of producing electricity not only from direct sunlight but also from diffuselight and indoor illumination. Herein, a dye-sensitized solar module (DSSM)developed to harvest indoor illumination and directly store it into an electricaldouble-layer capacitor (EDLC) is presented. Five series-connected dye-sensitizedsolar cells are fabricated on the same substrate and the module is integrated with ahigh-voltage EDLC. The integrated device is characterized under indoor lightsources such as light emitting diodes andfluorescent lamps. The results show oneof the highest efficiencies ever reported for a high-voltage DSSM under indoorillumination (16.27%), the largest voltage window ever reported for an indoor H&Sdevice based on DSSM and EDLC—up to 3 V—and an overall photoelectricconversion and storage efficiency of 9.73% under indoor illumination

Optimization of Laser-Induced Graphene Electrodes for High Voltage and Highly Stable Microsupercapacitors

Microsupercapacitors (μSCs) have received a lot of interest for their possible use in miniaturized electronics and in the field of the Internet of Things (IoT) to power distributed sensors. μSCs fill the gap between batteries and traditional capacitors, providing high power densities and acceptable energy densities to fulfill onboard power supply requirements, coupled with quick charge/discharge rates and extended lifetime. Charge balancing of μSCs is not a standard practice, although the optimization of electrodes can provide beneficial effects on the electrochemical performance and stability of the device. In this work, a charge-balanced double-layer μSC based on laser-induced graphene (LIG) with [PYR14][TFSI] as an ionic liquid electrolyte is presented for the first time. The optimized device shows an improvement in terms of the increased lifetime of a factor of four and its energy efficiency is raised above 80%

Tragacanth Gum as Green Binder for Sustainable Water-Processable Electrochemical Capacitor

Enabling green fabrication processes for energy storage devices is becoming a key aspect in order to achieve a sustainable fabrication cycle. Here, the focus was on the exploitation of the tragacanth gum, an exudated gum like arabic and karaya gums, as green binder for the preparation of carbon‐based materials for electrochemical capacitors. The electrochemical performance of tragacanth (TRGC)‐based electrodes was thoroughly investigated and compared with another water‐soluble binder largely used in this field, sodium‐carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). Apart from the higher sustainability both in production and processing, TRGC exhibited a lower impact on the obstruction of pores in the final active material film with respect to CMC, allowing for more available surface area. This directly impacted the electrochemical performance, resulting in a higher specific capacitance and better rate capability. Moreover, the TRGC‐based supercapacitor showed a superior thermal stability compared with CMC, with a capacity retention of about 80 % after 10000 cycles at 70 °C

Laser-Induced Graphenization of PDMS as Flexible Electrode for Microsupercapacitors

Laser graphenization of polymeric surfaces has emerged as one of the most promising technologies to fabricate flexible electrodes. Unfortunately, despite the large number of materials suitable for laser-induced graphene (LIG) fabrication, there is a lack of stretchable polymers, hindering the full exploitation of LIG for flexible electronics. Herein, the laser graphenization of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), the most exploited elastomeric substrate for flexible electronic device fabrication, is proposed for the first time. The low carbon content and the absence of aromatic structures strongly limit the graphenization process resulting in limited conduction properties. Nevertheless, by adding triethylene glycol (TEG) as carbon source into the PDMS matrix, it is possible to improve the graphenization and to reduce the sheet resistance of the written LIG by two orders of magnitude down to 130 ohm sq−1. The PDMS-TEG material becomes a suitable candidate for flexible microsupercapacitor fabrication with specific capacitance values as high as 287 µF cm−2 and energy and power density approaching LIG-based supercapacitors fabricated onto traditional polyimide substrates

Tragacanth gum as green binder for sustainable water-processable electrochemical capacitor

9Enabling green fabrication processes for energy storage devices is becoming a key aspect in order to achieve a sustainable fabrication cycle. Here we focus on the exploitation of the tragacanth gum, an exudated gum like arabic and karaya gums, as green binder for the preparation of carbon-based for electrochemical capacitors. The electrochemical performance of tragacanth (TRGC)-based electrodes are thoroughly investigated and compared with another water-soluble binder largely used in this field, i.e. sodium-carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). Apart from the higher sustainability both in production and processing, TRGC exhibits a lower impact on the obstruction of pores in the final active material film with respect to CMC, allowing for more available surface area. This directly impacts on the electrochemical performances resulting in a higher specific capacitance and better rate capability. Moreover, the TRGC-based supercapacitor shows a superior thermal stability than CMC with a capacity retention of about 80 % after 10.000 cycles at 70 °C.partially_openopenScalia, Alberto; Zaccagnini, Pietro; Armandi, Marco; Latini, Giulio; Versaci, Daniele; Lanzio, Vittorino; Varzi, Alberto; Passerini, Stefano; Lamberti, AndreaScalia, Alberto; Zaccagnini, Pietro; Armandi, Marco; Latini, Giulio; Versaci, Daniele; Lanzio, Vittorino; Varzi, Alberto; Passerini, Stefano; Lamberti, Andre

Exploring the professionalization of respiratory therapy in Canada

Knowledge is believed to be essential in the evolution from occupation to profession and is valuable to a profession in three ways: it can influence the profession's legitimacy, it can be used for conducting research, and it promotes higher education. RTs possess jurisdictional professional autonomy within Canada. The privilege of self-regulation allows RTs to act according to their knowledge and judgement without direct oversight from other professions. CONCLUSION: Based on Abbott's theoretical position, RTs can rightly justify their position as professionals. However, RTs need to acknowledge that professionalization is a dynamic and continuous process that requires creative changes to innovate within the profession and support future efforts to reinforce their position as professionals. Throughout this paper, we offer suggestions for how RTs can contribute to the ongoing professionalization of respiratory therapy

What scholarly practice means to respiratory therapists: An interpretive description study

Abstract Rationale Engagement in scholarly practice has been associated with professional empowerment, role satisfaction and improvements in care delivery and patient outcomes across many healthcare professions. However, in evolving professions like respiratory therapy, scholarly practice is excluded from competency frameworks, resulting in a gap in education and subsequent application of this competency in practice. An exploration of scholarly practice in respiratory therapy may provide insights into evolving professions that face tensions between meeting competency requirements as outlined in frameworks and providing quality healthcare to the populations they serve. Aims and Objectives The aim of the study was to explore what scholarly practice means, and how it manifests in practice from respiratory therapists' (RTs) perspectives. Methods We used interpretive description methodology. We purposively sampled participants to obtain varied perspectives of scholarly practice in respiratory therapy. We conducted 26 semistructured interviews with RTs in different roles (clinicians, educators, researchers, leaders and managers) across Canada and analysed the data using inductive analysis. Data collection and analysis proceeded concurrently. Results We developed five main themes: (i) the identity of a scholarly practitioner in RTs; (ii) factors influencing scholarly practice; (iii) one's impression of their professional self-image; (iv) scholarly practice as a vehicle for changing practice and (v) the complex interconnections between knowledges and practices. Conclusion Scholarly practice appears to be a multifaceted phenomenon encompassing a wide range of activities and skills including conducting research, reflective practice, application of research to practice, and contributing to the advancement of the profession and healthcare. Scholarly practice is influenced by organisational context and culture, available resources, intrinsic motivation and external political context. We identified similarities between professional identity and the description of the scholarly practitioner, suggesting that these two phenomena may be interconnected. Furthermore, participants believed that scholarly practice could enhance the image, credibility, legitimacy and professionalisation of the profession

White light thermoplasmonic activated gold nanorod arrays enable the photo-thermal disinfection of medical tools from bacterial contamination

The outspread of bacterial pathogens causing severe infections and spreading rapidly, especially among hospitalized patients, is worrying and represents a global public health issue. Current disinfection techniques are becoming insufficient to counteract the spread of these pathogens because they carry multiple antibiotic-resistance genes. For this reason, a constant need exists for new technological solutions that rely on physical methods rather than chemicals. Nanotechnology support provides novel and unexplored opportunities to boost groundbreaking, next-gen solutions. With the help of plasmonic-assisted nanomaterials, we present and discuss our findings in innovative bacterial disinfection techniques. Gold nanorods (AuNRs) immobilized on rigid substrates are utilized as efficient white light-to-heat transducers (thermoplasmonic effect) for photo-thermal (PT) disinfection. The resulting AuNRs array shows a high sensitivity change in refractive index and an extraordinary capability in converting white light to heat, producing a temperature change greater than 50 °C in a few minute interval illumination time. Results were validated using a theoretical approach based on a diffusive heat transfer model. Experiments performed with a strain of Escherichia coli as a model microorganism confirm the excellent capability of the AuNRs array to reduce the bacteria viability upon white light illumination. Conversely, the E. coli cells remain viable without white light illumination, which also confirms the lack of intrinsic toxicity of the AuNRs array. The PT transduction capability of the AuNRs array is utilized to produce white light heating of medical tools used during surgical treatments, generating a temperature increase that can be controlled and is suitable for disinfection. Our findings are pioneering a new opportunity for healthcare facilities since the reported methodology allows non-hazardous disinfection of medical devices by simply employing a conventional white light lamp

Anuran responses to spatial patterns of agricultural landscapes in Argentina

Context: Amphibians are declining worldwide and land use change to agriculture is recognized as a leading cause. Argentina is undergoing an agriculturalization process with rapid changes in landscape structure. Objectives: We evaluated anuran response to landscape composition and configuration in two landscapes of east-central Argentina with different degrees of agriculturalization. We identified sensitive species and evaluated landscape influence on communities and individual species at two spatial scales. Methods: We compared anuran richness, frequency of occurrence, and activity between landscapes using call surveys data from 120 sampling points from 2007 to 2009. We evaluated anuran responses to landscape structure variables estimated within 250 and 500-m radius buffers using canonical correspondence analysis and multimodel inference from a set of candidate models. Results: Anuran richness was lower in the landscape with greater level of agriculturalization with reduced amount of forest cover and stream length. This pattern was driven by the lower occurrence and calling activity of seven out of the sixteen recorded species. Four species responded positively to the amount of forest cover and stream habitat. Three species responded positively to forest cohesion and negatively to rural housing. Two responded negatively to crop area and diversity of cover classes. Conclusions: Anurans within agricultural landscapes of east-central Argentina are responding to landscape structure. Responses varied depending on species and study scale. Life-history traits contribute to responses differences. Our study offers a better understanding of landscape effects on anurans and can be used for land management in other areas experiencing a similar agriculturalization process.Facultad de Ciencias ExactasCentro de Investigaciones del Medioambient