Solar Driven Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting For Hydrogen Generation Using Multiple Bandgap Tandem Of Cigs2 Pv Cells And Thin Film Photocatalyst

The main objective of this research was to develop efficient CuIn1-xGaxS2 (CIGS2)/CdS thin film solar cells for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting to produce very pure hydrogen and oxygen. Efficiencies obtained using CIGS2 have been lower than those achieved using CuInSe2 and CuIn1-xGaxSe2. The basic limitation in the efficiencies is attributed to lower open circuit voltages with respect to the bandgap of the material. Presently, the main mechanism used to increase the open circuit voltage of these copper chalcopyrites (CuInSe2 and CuInS2) is the addition of gallium. However, addition of gallium has its own challenges. This research was intended to (i) elucidate the advantages and disadvantages of gallium addition, (ii) provide an alternative technique to the photovoltaic (PV) community to increase the open circuit voltage which is independent of gallium additions, (iii) develop highly efficient CIGS2/CdS thin film solar cells and (iv) provide an alternative material in the form of CIGS2/CdS thin film solar cells and an advanced technology in the form of a multiple bandgap tandem for PEC water splitting. High gallium content was achieved by the incorporation of a highly excess copper composition. Attempts to achieve high gallium content produced reasonable but not the best solar cell performance. Few solar cells developed on a molybdenum back contact and an ITO/MoS2 transparent conducting back contact showed a PV conversion efficiency of 7.93% and 5.97%, respectively. The solar cells developed on the ITO/MoS2 back contact form the first generation CIGS2/CdS thin film solar cells and 5.97% is the first ever reported efficiency on an ITO/MoS2 transparent back contact. Reasons for the moderate performance of these solar cells were attributed to significant porosity and remnants of unsulfurized CuGa alloy in the bulk of CIGS2. This was the first attempt to a detailed study of materials and device characteristics of CIGS2/CdS thin film solar cells prepared starting with a highly excess copper content CIGS2 layer. Next, excess copper composition of 1.4 (equivalent to gallium content, x = 0.3) was chosen with the aim to achieve the best efficiency. The open circuit voltage was enhanced by depositing an intermediate layer of intrinsic ZnO between CdS and ZnO:Al layers. The systematic study of requirements for such a layer and further optimization of its thickness to achieve a higher open circuit voltage (which is the greatest challenge of the scientific community) forms an important scientific contribution of this research. The PV parameters for CIGS2/CdS thin film solar cell as measured officially at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory were: open circuit voltage of 830.5 mV, short circuit current density of 21.88 mA/cm2, fill factor of 69.13% and photovoltaic conversion efficiency of 11.99% which sets a new world record for CIGS2 cells developed using sulfurization and the open circuit voltage of 830.5 mV has become the Voc champion value . New PEC setups with the RuS2 and Ru0.99Fe0.01S2 photoanodes were developed. RuS2 and Ru0.99Fe0.01S2 photoanodes were more stable in the electrolyte and showed better I-V characteristics than the RuO2 anode earlier used. Using two CIGS2/CdS thin film solar cells, a PEC efficiency of 8.78% was achieved with a RuS2 anode and a platinum cathode. Results of this research constitute a significant advance towards achieving practical feasibility and industrially viability of the technology of PEC hydrogen generation by water splitting

Patient-reported outcome measures for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: the exclusion of people with low literacy skills and learning disabilities

<p>Background: Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are intended to reflect outcomes relevant to patients. They are increasingly used for healthcare quality improvement. To produce valid measures, patients should be involved in the development process but it is unclear whether this usually includes people with low literacy skills or learning disabilities. This potential exclusion raises concerns about whether these groups will be able to use these measures and participate in quality improvement practices.</p> <p>Methods: Taking PROMs for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as an exemplar condition, our review determined the inclusion of people with low literacy skills and learning disabilities in research developing, validating, and using 12 PROMs for COPD patients. The studies included in our review were based on those identified in two existing systematic reviews and our update of this search. Results People with low literacy skills and/or learning disabilities were excluded from the development of PROMs in two ways: explicitly through the participant eligibility criteria and, more commonly, implicitly through recruitment or administration methods that would require high-level reading and cognitive abilities. None of the studies mentioned efforts to include people with low literacy skills or learning disabilities.</p> <p>Conclusion: Our findings suggest that people with low literacy skills or learning disabilities are left out of the development of PROMs. Given that implicit exclusion was most common, researchers and those who administer PROMs may not even be aware of this problem. Without effort to improve inclusion, unequal quality improvement practices may become embedded in the health system.</p&gt

LEVERAGING BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY FOR SLA ENFORCEMENT IN HEALTH CARE CLOUD PARTNERSHIPS

The healthcare industry is rapidly adopting cloud-based solutions to improve operational efficiency and patient outcomes. However, healthcare cloud partnerships often face challenges related to the lack of scalability, trust, and Service Level Agreement (SLA) enforcement, and has a notable impact on consumer care quality. To address this issue, the study proposed leveraging blockchain technology to enhance SLA enforcement by using smart contracts in health care cloud partnerships for small and medium-sized facilities. The research questions were: Q.1 What are the current challenges facing small to medium sized healthcare facilities in enforcing SLAs in cloud partnerships? Q.2 How can BC-based smart contracts helps enhance scalability in cloud computing systems in healthcare SMEs by enforcing Service Level Agreements (SLAs) in a safe and efficient manner? Q.3 What are the factors that affect the implementation of blockchain-based smart contracts for SLA enforcement in healthcare SMEs cloud partnerships? The project utilized case studies to demonstrate the effectiveness of using BC technology based smart contracts to enhance SLA enforcement and improve patient outcomes. The findings and conclusions were as follows: 1. Current challenges facing healthcare SMEs in enforcing SLAs in cloud partnerships: SMEs may lack bargaining power, resources, and technical expertise to effectively negotiate, monitor, and enforce SLAs in cloud partnerships, leading to service disruptions, compliance issues, and financial losses. 2. BC-based smart contracts can enhance the scalability of cloud computing systems in healthcare SMEs by automating SLA execution, ensuring real-time data integrity, transparency, and accountability, reducing fraud, error, and transaction costs, and enabling decentralized trust among stakeholders. 3. Factors affecting the implementation of BC-based smart contracts to better SLA enforcement in healthcare SMEs cloud partnerships: regulatory uncertainty, interoperability, standardization, privacy, security, cost, complexity, governance, and user adoption, and 4. Unique Trends and challenges in the healthcare industry for its data analysis: increasing demand for real-time, patient-centered, personalized, and evidence-based care, generating and integrating large volumes of diverse and complex data from multiple sources, ensuring data quality, privacy, and security, complying with regulations and standards, and fostering collaboration and innovation across stakeholders. MedRec, SimplyVital Health, and Medical Chain demonstrate how BC provides secure data sharing, encryption and access control mechanisms, and promotes interoperability through standard data formats and protocols. Results showed improved scalability, trust, and SLA enforcement with the use of BC technology. Further research in the other domains of this area is recommended. It is required to address broader aspects related to the topic. The areas for further study that emerged from the findings and conclusions of this project include: 1. interoperability,2. trusted monitoring solutions, 3.user experience, 4. privacy and security,5. med tokens, cost and 6. integration with existing BSS and OSS. Keywords: Cloud computing, Blockchain technology, SLA enforcement, Smart Contracts, Healthcare cloud, Blockchain-based SLA enforcement, Smart Healthcare, e-healthcare, Scalability

EMPLOYEES PERCEPTION OF WORKPLACE MONITORING AND SURVEILLANCE

Employee monitoring has gained importance from different interest groups – Commercial organisations, employee interest groups, privacy advocates, professional ethicists and lawyers. It is a practice of organizational management. It is about surveying the employee’s activity through various surveillance methods. The objectives of employee monitoring can be performance tracking, avoiding legal liability, protection of trade secrets and also to focus security concerns if any. The policy of monitoring and surveillance is likely to have a negative effect on employee satisfaction and employee privacy though, it is essential to identify and prevent unacceptable behaviour of employees if any. Employee monitoring trend has evolved gradually as a result of technological innovation. This research paper analyses the impact of employee monitoring practices in organisations. The study proposes organizational theories, privacy theories, control theories and resource theories so as to address the employee privacy issues. These multiple theories indicate multiple dimensions focusing on the proactive approach or a backup plan mediating between organisational policy and behaviour of employees. Result of the study indicates that Employee Commitment level dependents on employee’s perception about their privacy at workplace. This perception is influenced by management practices such as organisational policy and prevention of misuse

AN INTELLIGENT OPTIMIZATION TECHNIQUE FOR MANET USING GENETIC ALGORITHM

In wireless communication, Mobile Ad Hoc network (MANET) is a group of mobile nodes that are dynamically and randomly located in such a way that the wireless link among nodes are often change due to MANET dynamic features. In this MANET environment, if a device wants to connect to Internet, it must establish a communication with an Internet Gateway. The performance of system is evaluated using simulation. In this paper we propose approximated solutions and new algorithm that helps in QoS routing which can be adaptive, flexible, and intelligent

On the Use of Correlation and MI as a Measure of Metabolite—Metabolite Association for Network Differential Connectivity Analysis

Metabolite differential connectivity analysis has been successful in investigating potentialmolecular mechanisms underlying different conditions in biological systems. Correlation and MutualInformation (MI) are two of the most common measures to quantify association and for buildingmetabolite—metabolite association networks and to calculate differential connectivity. In this study,we investigated the performance of correlation and MI to identify significantly differentially connected metabolites. These association measures were compared on (i) 23 publicly available metabolomic data sets and 7 data sets from other fields, (ii) simulated data with known correlation structures,and (iii) data generated using a dynamic metabolic model to simulate real-life observed metabolite concentration profiles. In all cases, we found more differentially connected metabolites when using correlation indices as a measure for association than MI.We also observed that different MI estimation algorithms resulted in difference in performance when applied to data generated using a dynamic model. We concluded that there is no significant benefit in using MI as a replacement for standard Pearson’s or Spearman’s correlation when the application is to quantify and detect differentially connected metabolites

Conceptual framework of Workplace Flexibility and Positive Working Environment

Background - In today's companies, adaptable work arrangements are becoming more important. Due to the obvious advantages of flexibility, many businesses give adaptable working arrangements to all the people and the company. Increased worker productivity and corporate profitability are two of their most prominent benefits. Adaptable work schedules also aid in the attainment and maintenance of a good work-life balance. Employee well-being and stress levels are decreased when work-life balance is maintained. Workplace Environments, such as flexibility, are evolving and have an impact on employee health Conditions. Working from residence, taking time off are required, and modifying one's work pattern are all examples of work flexibility. The majority of Employees assert that having a great attitude in a Positive work environment improves the productivity of the Organisation and decreases the employee difficulties such as physical and mental stress, road traffic, work in non-flexible timings, and unbalancing to care of family members in between the work Schedule. The fundamental purpose of the research is to evaluate the concept of a better workplace environment in the business of any organization. A descriptive design has been chosen to describe the impact of current workplace flexibility on employee performance. The particular study has some limitations because the topic is controversial. Some employees are satisfied with the current work situation and others are complaining about it. On the other hand, for conducting the study, a proper survey procedure could not be accomplished. Contribution - A positive workplace can foster the growth of any organization and also reduce workplace stress. A flexible working environment can promote workplace health and safety. Leaders are the main contributor to take decisions for any company and also construct a proper framework for a flexible workplace

COLOUR AND HEALING

Colour has always been associated with healing, because man related the power of the sun and rainbow to divine forces. For the ancients, the colours that make up sunlight were each considered to show a different aspect of the divine and to influence different qualities of life. Colour is therefore an important feature in the symbolism of ancient cultures throughout the world, and the origins of healing with colour in Western civilization can be traced back to the mythology of Ancient Egypt and Greece. According to Ancient Egyptian mythology, the art of healing with colour was founded by the god Thoth. He was known to the Ancient Greeks as Hermes Trismegistus, literally “Hermes thrice-greatest” because he was also credited with various works on mysticism and magic. Teachings attributedto him include the use of colour in healing in the Hermetic tradition; the Ancient Egyptians and Greeks used coloured minerals, stones, crystals, salves, and dyes as remedies, and painted treatment sanctuaries in various shades of colour.Interest in the physical nature of colour developed in Ancient Greece alongside the concept of the elements-air, fire, water, and earth. These fundamental constituents of the universe were associated with the qualities of coldness, heat, wetness and dryness, and also with four humors of bodily fluids-choler or yellow bile, blood (red), phlegm (white), and melancholy or black bile. These were thought to arise in four organs the spleen, heart, liver, and brain and to determine emotional and physical disposition. Health involved the proper balance of these humors, and diseases would result if their mixture was in an unbalanced proportion. Colour was intrinsic to healing, which involved restoring the balance. Coloured garments, oils, plasters, ointments, and salves were used to treat disease. (Graham, 1998

Challenges & Best Practices of Digital Marketing in the Education Sector

In recent years, people have been watching the rapid growth of the Internet of Things (IoT) across the world.   People could adapt to the exciting digital trend business and at the same time a new dimension of understanding. Businesses have been taking the opportunity of using IoT to provide new technologies and service delivery models to achieve a wide Digital marketing. Things like online video, apps, virtual reality, augmented reality, artificial intelligence, motion graphics, chat bots, web design, UX design, social media content and social influencers are hot topics.Thinking and designing your marketing strategies, especially for YouTube marketing, from this very moment will help you to succeed in 2018.  These days are your opportunity to be on step further your competitors. This paper proposes importance of digital marketing in educational sector, and suggests the advertisement campaign for promotion of education sector

Safety and efficacy of simultaneous use of Mifepristone and Misoprostol in second trimester termination of pregnancy

Background: Combination of Mifepristone and Misoprostol has been successfully used for termination of pregnancy up to 63 days however no specific protocol is available for use in termination of pregnancy in second trimester. There are various regimens regarding optimal dose of Mifepristone and Misoprostol to be used in second trimester termination of pregnancy. Most of the regimens have a 24 to 48 hr. interval in administering the two drugs.Methods: This is a non-randomized prospective single arm interventional study approved by ethical committee of our institution and carried out over a period of 2 years from January 2013 to December 2014.This trial was also registered under Clinical Trial Registry Of India CTRI/2013/03/003488.152 healthy women who wanted to undergo second trimester termination of pregnancy were included in the study after applying inclusion and exclusion criteria. All women received T Mifepristone 200mg orally along with T Misoprostol 400mcg placed vaginally in the posterior fornix. T Misoprostol 200 mcg was placed vaginally every 4hrs till good uterine contractions were established. The end point of the study was complete abortion with expulsion of placenta. The induction abortion interval was noted. Women were observed for complications and women needing additional intervention to complete the abortion process were also noted.Results: The mean induction abortion interval was 783.17 minutes (13 hrs.) in our study which was comparable to similar study by Chai J et al in which induction-to-abortion interval was 10 hours 96% of women aborted in 24 hrs. and 100% in 32 hrs. in our study. 81% had no complications and 17% had minor complications which were managed by medicines alone.Conclusions: Simultaneous use of Mifepristone and misoprostol is both safe and effective in termination of pregnancy in second trimester