Organic photovoltaics using thin gold film as an alternative anode to indium tin oxide

Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) is the most commonly used anode as a transparent electrode and more recently as an anode for organic photovoltaics (OPVs). However, there are significant drawbacks in using ITO which include high material costs, mechanical instability including brittleness and poor electrical properties which limit its use in low-cost flexible devices. We present initial results of poly(3-hexylthiophene): phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester OPVs showing that an efficiency of 1.9% (short-circuit current 7.01 mA/cm2, open-circuit voltage 0.55 V, fill factor 0.49) can be attained using an ultra thin film of gold coated glass as the device anode. The initial I-V characteristics demonstrate that using high work function metals when the thin film is kept ultra thin can be used as a replacement to ITO due to their greater stability and better morphological control.

Meta-analysis of telomere length in 19 713 subjects reveals high heritability, stronger maternal inheritance and a paternal age effect

Telomere length (TL) has been associated with aging and mortality, but individual differences are also influenced by genetic factors, with previous studies reporting heritability estimates ranging from 34 to 82%. Here we investigate the heritability, mode of inheritance and the influence of parental age at birth on TL in six large, independent cohort studies with a total of 19 713 participants. The meta-analysis estimate of TL heritability was 0.70 (95% CI 0.64–0.76) and is based on a pattern of results that is highly similar for twins and other family members. We observed a stronger mother–offspring (r=0.42; P-value=3.60 × 10−61) than father–offspring correlation (r=0.33; P-value=7.01 × 10−5), and a significant positive association with paternal age at offspring birth (β=0.005; P-value=7.01 × 10−5). Interestingly, a significant and quite substantial correlation in TL between spouses (r=0.25; P-value=2.82 × 10−30) was seen, which appeared stronger in older spouse pairs (mean age ≥55 years; r=0.31; P-value=4.27 × 10−23) than in younger pairs (mean age<55 years; r=0.20; P-value=3.24 × 10−10). In summary, we find a high and very consistent heritability estimate for TL, evidence for a maternal inheritance component and a positive association with paternal age.

Magnetocaloric effect and nature of magnetic transition in nanoscale Pr0.5Ca0.5MnO3

Systematic measurements pertinent to the magnetocaloric effect and nature of magnetic transition around the transition temperature are performed in the 10 nm Pr0.5Ca0.5MnO3 nanoparticles (PCMO10). Maxwell's relation is employed to estimate the change in magnetic entropy. At Curie temperature (T-C) similar to 83.5 K, the change in magnetic entropy (-Delta S-M) discloses a typical variation with a value 0.57 J/kg K, and is found to be magnetic field dependent. From the area under the curve (Delta S vs T), the refrigeration capacity is calculated at T-C similar to 83.5K and it is found to be 7.01 J/kg. Arrott plots infer that due to the competition between the ferromagnetic and anti-ferromagnetic interactions, the magnetic phase transition in PCMO10 is broadly spread over both in temperature as well as magnetic field coordinates. Upon tuning the particle size, size distribution, morphology, and relative fraction of magnetic phases, it may be possible to enhance the magnetocalorific effect further in PCMO10. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4759372]

Characterization of Er3+-doped Na2O-WO3-TeO2 glass for ion-exchanged waveguide amplifiers and lasers

Er^(3+)-doped Na2O-WO3-TeO2 glass consistent with standard ion-exchange technology has been fabricated and characterized. The measured absorption and emission spectra of the glass were analyzed by the Judd-Ofelt and McCumber theories. The intensity parameters are Ω2 = 7.01

Physical soil characteristics of waterlogged and saline lands of five districts of Haryana, India

Physical characteristics of waterlogged and saline soils of five districts, namely Rohtak, Faridabad, Gurgaon, Sonipat and Jhajjar, of Haryana were studied to evaluate the aquaculture potential. The soil samples from 76 sites were procured and analysed for pH, electrical conductivity, soil particles and water retention capacity, since the knowledge of these parameters is essential for the preliminary evaluation of a site for aqua-farming. Six soil types were identified and clay-loam was observed to be the maximum at 45 (59.21%) sites, followed by silty-clay loam at 14 (18.42%), sandy-clay loam at six (7.89%), silty-loam at four (5.26%), sandy-loam at four (5.26%) and loam at three (3.94%) sites. The pH of soil indicated moderate to high alkaline conditions ranging between 8.01and 9.00 at 53 (69.73%) sites, 9.01 and 10.00 at 17 (22.36%) sites, and low between 7.01 and 8.00 at six (7.89%) sites. The electrical conductivity was found to range between <1 and 10 mmho cmˉ¹ with the value of <1.0 mmho cmˉ¹ at 36 (47.36%) sites. The water retention capacity was observed mostly to be moderate. The paper describes the interrelationship between these parameters with reference to the suitability for aqua-farming.

Genetic heterogeneity and ploidy level analysis among different gynogenetic clones of the polyploid gibel carp

Background: Some triploid and tetraploid clones have been identified in the gynogenetic gibel carp, Carassius auratus gibelio Bloch, by karyotypic and cytologic analyses over many years. Further, 5-20% males and karyotypic diversity have been found among their natural and artificial populations. However, the DNA contents and the relation to their ploidy level and chromosome numbers have not been ascertained, and whether normal meiosis occurs in spermatogenesis needs to be determined in the different clones. Methods: The sampled blood cells or sperms were mixed with blood cells from chicken or individual gibel carp and fixed in 70% pre-cooled ethanol overnight at 4degreesC. The mixed cell pellets were washed 2-3 times in 1x phosphate buffered saline and then resuspended in the solution containing 0.5% pepsin and 0.1 M HCl. DNA was stained with propidium iodide solution (40 mug/mL) containing 4 kU/ml RNase. The measurements of DNA contents were performed with Phoenix Flow Systems. Results: Triploid clones A, E, F, and P had almost equal DNA content, but triploid clone D had greater DNA content than did the other four triploid clones. DNA content of clone M (7.01 +/- 0.15 pg/nucleus) was almost equal to the DNA content of clone D (5-38 +/- 0.06 pg/nucleus) plus the DNA content of common carp sperm (1.64 +/- 0.02 pg/nucleus). The DNA contents of sperms from clones A, P, and D were half of their blood cells, suggesting that normal meiosis occurs in spermatogenesis. Conclusions: Flow cytometry is a powerful method to analyze genetic heterogeneity and ploidy level among different gynogenetic clones of polyploid gibel carp. Through this study, four questions have been answered. (a) The DNA content correlation among the five triploid clones and one multiple tetraploid clone was revealed in the gibel carp, and the contents increased with not only the ploidy level but also the chromosome number. (b) Mean DNA content was 0.052 pg in six extra chromosomes of clone D, which was higher than that of each chromosome in clones A, E, F, and P (about 0.032 pg/ chromosome). This means that the six extra chromosomes are larger chromosomes. (c) Normal meiosis occurred during spermatogenesis of the gibel carp, because DNA contents of the sperms from clones A, P, and D were almost half of that in their blood cells. (d) Multiple tetraploid clone M (7.01 +/- 0.15 pg/nucleus) contained the complete genome of clone D (5.38 +/- 0.06 pg/nucleus) and the genome of common carp sperm (1.64 +/- 0.02 pg/nucleus). Cytometry Part A 56A:46-52, 2003. (C) 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

云南白马寨镍矿区煌斑岩^40Ar-^39Ar定年和地球化学特征

云南白马寨镍矿区煌斑岩全部为云煌岩.两个样品的^40Ar/^39Ar定年结果分别为32.46±0.62Ma和32.01±0.60Ma,表明矿区煌斑岩为哀牢山断裂带新生代早期高钾岩浆活动的产物.在化学组成上,矿区煌斑岩具有高M值[100×Mg/（Mg＋Fe^2＋）]（67.42～86.35）、高ALK（K2O＋Na2O为7.01%～9.81%）、富钾（K2O/Na2O为1.66～2.64）、富大离子亲石元素（如Sr、Rb、Ba等）和LREE、明显的Ta、Nb、Ti负异常的特征.Sr-Nd同位素具有高（^87Sr/^86Sr）0比值（0.70625～0.70912）和低εNd（-5.22～-3.68）的特征,位于EM1和EM2地幔端元之间,有更靠近EM2的趋势.元素和同位素地球化学特征表明矿区煌斑岩的源区为交代富集地幔,进一步判别表明源岩处于尖晶石相方辉橄榄岩和石榴石相二辉橄榄岩的混合线上,以尖晶石相方辉橄榄岩为主.源区交代富集的矿物既有金云母,也有角闪石.岩浆演化过程中经历了橄榄石＋斜长石±磷灰石±铁钛氧化物的结晶分异.岩浆形成于大陆弧的构造背景,俯冲的陆壳和古特提斯洋壳对富集的源区均有贡献.白马寨镍矿区煌斑岩和哀牢山断裂带新生代早期其它高钾岩浆岩具有相近的年代、一致的地球化学特征,表明它们具有相似的源区,受控于相同的构造背景.

Meal-induced 24-hour profile of circulating glycated insulin in type 2 diabetic subjects measured by a novel radioimmunoassay

Increasing evidence supports a role for glycated insulin in the insulin-resistant state of type 2 diabetes. We measured 24-hour profiles of plasma glycated insulin, using a novel radioimmunoassay (RIA), to evaluate the effects of meal stimulation and intermittent fasting on circulating concentrations of plasma glycated insulin in type 2 diabetes. Patients (n = 6; hemoglobin A(1c) [HbA(1c)], 7.2% +/- 0.6%; fasting plasma glucose, 7.4 +/- 0.7 mmol/L; body mass index [BMI], 35.7 +/- 3.5 kg/m(2); age, 56.3 +/- 4.4 years) were admitted for 24 hours and received a standardized meal regimen. Half-hourly venous samples were taken for plasma glycated insulin, glucose, insulin, and C-peptide concentrations between 8 Am and midnight and 2-hourly overnight. The mean plasma glycated insulin concentration over 24 hours was 27.8 +/- 1.2 pmol/L with a mean ratio of insulin:glycated insulin of 11:1. Circulating glucose, insulin, C-peptide, and glycated insulin followed a basal and meal-related pattern with most prominent increments following breakfast, lunch, and evening meal, respectively. The mean concentrations of glycated insulin during the morning, afternoon, evening, and night-time periods were 24.4 +/- 2.5, 28.7 +/- 2.3, 31.1 +/- 2.1, and 26.2 +/- 1.5 pmol/L, respectively, giving significantly higher molar ratios of insulin:glycated insulin of 18.0:1, 14.2:1, and 12.7:1 compared with 7.01 at night (P

Accelerated loss of alpine glaciers in the Kodar Mountains, south-eastern Siberia

The recession of mountain glaciers around the world has been linked to anthropogenic climate change and small glaciers (e.g. < 2 km2) are thought to be particularly vulnerable, with reports of their disappearance from several regions. However, the response of small glaciers to climate change can be modulated by non-climatic factors such as topography and debris cover and there remain a number of regions where their recent change has evaded scrutiny. This paper presents results of the first multi-year remote sensing survey of glaciers in the Kodar Mountains, the only glaciers in SE Siberia, which we compare to previous glacier inventories from this continental setting that reported total glacier areas of 18.8 km2 in ca. 1963 (12.6 km2 of exposed ice) and 15.5 km2 in 1974 (12 km2 of exposed ice). Mapping their debris-covered termini is difficult but delineation of debris-free ice on Landsat imagery reveals 34 glaciers with a total area of 11.72 ± 0.72 km2 in 1995, followed by a reduction to 9.53 ± 0.29 km2 in 2001 and 7.01 ± 0.23 km2 in 2010. This represents a ~ 44% decrease in exposed glacier ice between ca. 1963 and 2010, but with 40% lost since 1995 and with individual glaciers losing as much as 93% of their exposed ice. Thus, although continental glaciers are generally thought to be less sensitive than their maritime counterparts, a recent acceleration in shrinkage of exposed ice has taken place and we note its coincidence with a strong summer warming trend in the region initiated at the start of the 1980s. Whilst smaller and shorter glaciers have, proportionally, tended to shrink more rapidly, we find no statistically significant relationship between shrinkage and elevation characteristics, aspect or solar radiation. This is probably due to the small sample size, limited elevation range, and topographic setting of the glaciers in deep valleys-heads. Furthermore, many of the glaciers possess debris-covered termini and it is likely that the ablation of buried ice is lagging the shrinkage of exposed ice, such that a growth in the proportion of debris cover is occurring, as observed elsewhere. If recent trends continue, we hypothesise that glaciers could evolve into a type of rock glacier within the next few decades, introducing additional complexity in their response and delaying their potential demise.

Produção de leite de vacas da raça Holandês em pastagens tropicais perenes no Planalto Médio do Rio Grande do Sul

Capim-elefante (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.), Tifton 68 (Cynodon spp) e quicuio (Pennisetum clandestinum Hochst. Ex Chiov.) foram utilizados sob pastejo durante dois períodos de crescimento com objetivo de investigar a distribuição da quantidade e qualidade de forragem, medir a produção de leite ( por animal e por área) e composição do leite. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos ao acaso com duas repetições para medidas animais e quatro para vegetação. Vacas multíparas (568±41 kg), com 147±64 dias em lactação, potencial de produção (7.000±1.000 kg), em pastejo rotativo com oferta de lâminas foliares de 3,0% PV, receberam suplementação a base de milho e sais minerais na proporção de 1,0 kg para cada 2,0 kg de leite produzido acima de 12 kg de leite/d. A produção média diária de leite corrigido para 3,5% de gordura foi de 22,46 kg/vaca. Não houve variação para PB e FDN na composição das lâminas foliares das pastagens, ficando as médias em 20,4% e 63,4%, respectivamente. O FDA do capim-elefante foi maior em todas as épocas (31,2%), já o Tifton 68 (26,6%) e o quicuio (25,4%) foram semelhantes (P>0,05). A produção média de lâminas foliares foi 15.347 kg de MS/ha. As lotações médias foram de 7,01, 7,27 e 7,21 vacas/ha/d para o capim-elefante, quicuio e Tifton 68, respectivamente. A produção de leite média foi de 25.046 kg/ha. O teor de gordura foi maior para o capim-elefante (3,26%), seguido do Tifton 68 (3,15%) e quicuio (3,03%). O teor de proteína médio do leite foi 3,00% (P>0,05).

Influência da fadiga no comportamento neuromuscular do quadríceps femoral, após reconstrução do ligamento cruzado anterior

Muscle fatigue is a phenomenon that promotes physiological and biomechanical disorders and their changes in healthy subjects have been widely studied and have significant importance for care in preventing injuries, but we do not have many information about its effects in patients after ACL reconstruction. Thus, this study is to analyze the effects of fatigue on neuromuscular behavior of quadriceps after ACL reconstruction. To reach this objective, participants were forty men, twenty healthy (26,90 ± 6,29 years) and twenty after ACL reconstruction (29,75 ± 7,01 years) with a graft of semitendinosus and gracilis tendons, between four to six months after surgery. At first, there was an assessment of joint position sense (JPS) at the isokinetic dynamometer at a speed of 5°/s and target angle of 45° to analyze the absolute error of JPS. Next, we applied the a muscle fatigue protocol, running 100 repetitions of isokinetic knee flexion-extension at 90°/s. Concurrently with this protocol, there was the assessment of muscle performance, as the peak torque (PT) and fatigue index, and electromyographic activity (RMS and median frequency). Finally, we repeated the assessment of JPS. The statistical analysis showed that patients after ACL reconstruction have, even under normal conditions, the amended JPS compared with healthy subjects and that after fatigue, both have disturbances in the JPS, but this alteration is significantly exacerbated in patients after ACL reconstruction. About muscle performance, we could notice that these patients have a lower PT, although there are no differences between the dynamometric and EMG fatigue index. These findings show the necessity about the cares of pacients with ACL reconstruction in respect of the risks of articulate instability and overload in ligamentar graft

Platelet aggregation and TGF-beta(1) plasma levels in pregnant women with preeclampsia

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)