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On the apparent visible-light and enhanced UV-light photocatalytic activity of nitrogen-doped TiO2 thin films
No full textAbstractNitrogen-doped titania (NTiO2) thin films were synthesized using atmospheric-pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD) using ammonia, tert-butylamine or benzylamine as the nitrogen source. The influence of these precursors on the structural, morphological and optical absorption properties of the films was studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and UV/Vis spectroscopy. The chemical state and location of the nitrogen species in the films was investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The photocatalytic activity of films with similar structural properties was evaluated during degradation of stearic acid under UVA and visible light illumination. A previous study established a potential photosensitization mechanism involving surface N groups with binding energy of ∼400eV, which would result in extrinsic enhanced UV activity of the NTiO2 films. Here, an empirical approach was adopted in order to establish correlation between structural features, nitrogen content and photocatalytic properties of these films. Within the thickness range considered, the photocatalytic activities of the undoped TiO2 films were consistent with their diffraction features (peak intensities and sharpness). Nevertheless, the activities of the NTiO2 films did not follow the same trend but it was consistent with their nitrogen content. Further evidence is provided on the participation of nitrogen species on the enhanced UV activity of NTiO2 films and the impact of surface NO groups such as NOTiO (or ONTiO) and bulk substitutional nitrogen groups is discussed. Discussion is also provided on the apparent visible light activity of the NTiO2 films
Development and validation of a stability indicating RP-TLC/densitometric method for determination of Loratadine in bulk and in tablets
No full textAbstractA new rapid, economical and environmentally friendly Reversed-Phase Thin-Layer chromatography (RP-TLC)/densitometry has been developed and validated for quantitative determination of Loratadine (LOR) in bulk and in tablets. RP-TLC separation was achieved on aluminium plates precoated with silica gel 60RP-18F 254S as the stationary phase using methanol:acetonitrile (90:10%v/v) as mobile phase. Quantitation was performed at 247nm over the concentration range of 200–1200ng/band. The method was found to give compact and well resolved band for LOR at retention factor (Rf) 0.58±0.02. The linear regression analysis data for calibration graph showed good linear relationship with r2=0.998. The method was validated for recovery, precision, robustness, ruggedness and sensitivity as per International conference on Harmonisation (ICH) guidelines. The minimum detectable amount and limit of quantitation were found to be 19.40ng and 61.51ng, respectively. LOR was subjected to hydrolysis in acid, alkali, oxidation, photo-degradation and neutral condition. The drug demonstrated degradation under acid and alkali conditions. Statistical analysis proves that the method is sensitive, selective, precise and accurate for the estimation of LOR. The proposed developed RP-TLC/densitometry method can be applied for identification and quantitative determination of LOR in bulk drug and pharmaceutical dosage forms
Forest soils in France are sequestering substantial amounts of carbon
No full textAbstractThe aim of this study was to assess whether French forest soils are sources or sinks of carbon and to quantify changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks over time by resampling soil in long-term forest monitoring plots. Within each plot, and for each survey, soils were sampled at five points selected in five subplots and divided into layers. Composite samples were produced for each layer and subplot, then analysed for mass, bulk density and SOC. Linear mixed models were used to estimate SOC changes over 15years between two soil surveys carried out in 102 plots in France. A factor analysis and a budget approach were also used to identify which factors and processes were primarily responsible for SOC dynamics. Forest soils throughout France substantially accumulated SOC (+0.35MgCha−1yr−1) between 1993 and 2012. The SOC sequestration rate declined with stand age and was affected by stand structure. Uneven-aged stands sequestered more SOC than did even-aged stands (p<0.001). For the forest floor, the SOC sequestration rate estimated by the budget approach was in agreement with that based on stock comparison. This increasing SOC stock in the forest floor can be explained by recent changes in certain factors affecting litter decomposition (climate and litter quality). For the mineral soil, the budget approach was unable to replicate the observed SOC sequestration rate, probably because SOC stocks were not yet at equilibrium with litter inputs at the beginning of the monitoring period (contrary to our steady-state assumption). This explanation is also supported by the fact that the SOC sequestration rate decreased with stand age. As the SOC sequestration rate declines with stand age and is higher in uneven-aged stands, forest management has the potential to influence this carbon sink
Adsorption of diazinon and fenitrothion on nanocrystalline magnesium oxides
No full textAbstractNanocrystalline magnesium oxide was prepared by the sol–gel method from magnesium methoxide and characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermal analysis, X-ray powder diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. Sol–gel derived nanocrystalline magnesium oxide along with a commercial nanocrystalline magnesium oxide was used as adsorbents to study the adsorption of two common, organophosphorous pesticides, diethoxy-[(2-isopropyl-6-methyl-4-pyrimidinyl)oxy]-thioxophosphorane (diazinon) and dimethoxy-(3-methyl-4-nitrophenoxy)-thioxophosphorane (fenitrothion). Adsorption of diazinon and fenitrothion on the sol–gel derived, and commercial nanocrystalline magnesium oxides was studied using UV–vis, FT-IR and 31P NMR spectroscopies. The effect of hydroxyl groups on edge/corner and flat panel of magnesium oxide in adsorption of diazinon and fenitrothion was investigated. The results showed that the adsorption of diazinon on the sol–gel derived nanocrystalline magnesium oxide is destructive whereas on commercial one is non-destructive. Commercial nanocrystalline magnesium oxide showed higher activity in the adsorption of fenitrothion than the sol–gel derived, and adsorptions on both nanocrystalline magnesium oxides are destructive
Message safety in Dart
No full textAbstractUnlike traditional static type checking, the type system in the Dart programming language is unsound by design, even for fully annotated programs. The rationale has been that this allows compile-time detection of likely errors and enables code completion in integrated development environments, without being restrictive on programmers.Despite unsoundness, judicious use of type annotations can ensure useful properties of the runtime behavior of Dart programs. We present a formal model of a core of Dart with a focus on its type system, which allows us to elucidate the causes of unsoundness. Our main contribution is a characterization of message-safe programs and a theorem stating that such programs will never encounter ‘message-not-understood’ errors at runtime. Message safety is less restrictive than traditional type soundness, and we argue that it forms a natural intermediate point between dynamically typed and statically typed Dart programs
Evaluation of new farming technologies in Ethiopia using the Integrated Decision Support System (IDSS)
No full textAbstractThis study investigates multi-dimensional impacts of adopting new technology in agriculture at the farm/village and watershed scale in sub-Saharan Africa using the Integrated Decision Support System (IDSS). Application of IDSS as an integrated modeling tool helps solve complex issues in agricultural systems by simultaneously assessing production, environmental, economic, and nutritional consequences of adopting agricultural technologies for sustainable increases in food production and use of scarce natural resources. The IDSS approach was applied to the Amhara region of Ethiopia, where the scarcity of resources and agro-environmental consequences are critical to agricultural productivity of small farm, to analyze the impacts of alternative agricultural technology interventions. Results show significant improvements in family income and nutrition, achieved through the adoption of irrigation technologies, proper use of fertilizer, and improved seed varieties while preserving environmental indicators in terms of soil erosion and sediment loadings. These pilot studies demonstrate the usefulness of the IDSS approach as a tool that can be used to predict and evaluate the economic and environmental consequences of adopting new agricultural technologies that aim to improve the livelihoods of subsistence farmers
A type 2 ryanodine receptor variant associated with reduced Ca2+ release and short-coupled torsades de pointes ventricular arrhythmia
No full textBackgroundVentricular fibrillation may be caused by premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) whose coupling intervals are <300 ms, a characteristic of the short-coupled variant of torsades de pointes (scTdP).ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to analyze the underlying cardiac ryanodine receptor (RyR2) variants in patients with scTdP.MethodsSeven patients with scTdP (mean age 34 ± 12 years; 4 men and 3 women) were enrolled in this study. The RyR2 gene was screened by targeted gene sequencing methods; variant minor allele frequency was confirmed in 3 databases; and the pathogenicity was investigated in silico analysis using multiple tools. The activity of wild-type and mutant RyR2 channels was evaluated by monitoring Ca2+ signals of HEK293 cells with a [3H]ryanodine binding assay.ResultsThe mean coupling interval of PVCs was 282 ± 13 ms. The 12-lead electrocardiogram had no specific findings except PVCs with an extremely short-coupling interval. Genetic analysis revealed 3 novel RyR2 variants and 1 polymorphism, all located in the cytoplasmic region. p.Ser4938Phe was not detected in 3 databases, and in silico analysis indicated its pathogenicity. In functional analysis, p.Ser4938Phe demonstrated loss of function and impaired RyR2 channel Ca2+ release, while 2 other variants, p.Val1024Ile and p.Ala2673Val, had mild gain-of-function effects but were similar to the polymorphism p.Asn1551Ser.ConclusionWe identified an RyR2 variant associated with reduced Ca2+ release and short-coupled torsades de pointes ventricular arrhythmia. The mechanisms of arrhythmogenesis remain unclear
In-situ synthesis of titanium aluminides by direct metal deposition
No full textAbstractThis study explores the capabilities of methods for in-situ synthesis of titanium aluminides using the Direct Metal Deposition process. This allows for the functional grading of components which will be required for next generation aerospace components. The feasibility of three techniques are explored here; firstly, a new process of powder preparation for Additive Manufacturing, satelliting, in which a larger parent powder is coated with a smaller powder fraction. Here, Al parent particles are satellited with fine TiO2 to produce an intermetallic matrix composite with Al2O3 particulates. The satelliting procedure is shown to increase capability and mixing of in situ synthesis. Secondly, combined wire and single powder feeding is explored through the use of Ti wire and Al powder to create Ti-50Al (at%). Finally, a combination of wire and loose mixed powders is explored to produce the commercially deployed Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb (at%) alloy. The simultaneous wire and powder delivery is designed to overcome issues encountered when processing with single powder or wire feedstocks, whilst allowing for on-the-fly changes in elemental composition required for functional grading. Characterisation of the deposits produced, through OM, SEM, and EDX, reveal the influence of key processing parameters and provides a meaningful basis for comparison between the techniques. Results show that it is possible to produce α2+γ two-phase microstructures consistent with previous studies which have relied upon more expensive and harder to obtain pre-alloyed feedstocks. This represents a move forward in manufacturability for an emergent process type
What's in a pattern? Examining the type of signal multivariate analysis uncovers at the group level
No full textAbstractMultivoxel pattern analysis (MVPA) has gained enormous popularity in the neuroimaging community over the past few years. At the group level, most MVPA studies adopt an “information based” approach in which the sign of the effect of individual subjects is discarded and a non-directional summary statistic is carried over to the second level. This is in contrast to a directional “activation based” approach typical in univariate group level analysis, in which both signal magnitude and sign are taken into account. The transition from examining effects in one voxel at a time vs. several voxels (univariate vs. multivariate) has thus tacitly entailed a transition from directional to non-directional signal definition at the group level. While a directional group-level MVPA approach implies that individuals have similar multivariate spatial patterns of activity, in a non-directional approach each individual may have a distinct spatial pattern. Using an experimental dataset, we show that directional and non-directional group-level MVPA approaches uncover distinct brain regions with only partial overlap. We propose a method to quantify the degree of spatial similarity in activation patterns over subjects. Applied to an auditory task, we find higher values in auditory regions compared to control regions
Regional distribution and losses of end-of-life steel throughout multiple product life cycles—Insights from the global multiregional MaTrace model
No full textAbstractSubstantial amounts of post-consumer scrap are exported to other regions or lost during recovery and remelting, and both export and losses pose a constraint to desires for having regionally closed material cycles. To quantify the challenges and trade-offs associated with closed-loop metal recycling, we looked at the material cycles from the perspective of a single material unit and trace a unit of material through several product life cycles. Focusing on steel, we used current process parameters, loss rates, and trade patterns of the steel cycle to study how steel that was originally contained in high quality applications such as machinery or vehicles with stringent purity requirements gets subsequently distributed across different regions and product groups such as building and construction with less stringent purity requirements. We applied MaTrace Global, a supply-driven multiregional model of steel flows coupled to a dynamic stock model of steel use. We found that, depending on region and product group, up to 95% of the steel consumed today will leave the use phase of that region until 2100, and that up to 50% can get lost in obsolete stocks, landfills, or slag piles until 2100. The high losses resulting from business-as-usual scrap recovery and recycling can be reduced, both by diverting postconsumer scrap into long-lived applications such as buildings and by improving the recovery rates in the waste management and remelting industries. Because the lifetimes of high-quality (cold-rolled) steel applications are shorter and remelting occurs more often than for buildings and infrastructure, we found and quantified a tradeoff between low losses and high-quality applications in the steel cycle. Furthermore, we found that with current trade patterns, reduced overall losses will lead to higher fractions of secondary steel being exported to other regions. Current loss rates, product lifetimes, and trade patterns impede the closure of the steel cycle