9,364 research outputs found
Dependence of the structures and chemical ordering of Pd-Pt nanoalloys on potential parameters
No full textThe structures and chemical ordering (segregation properties) of Pd-Pt clusters (1 : 1 compositions for N = 2-20 atoms and all compositions for 34 atoms) have been studied using a combination of a genetic algorithm global optimization technique (GA) coupled with the Gupta semi-empirical potential and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. An initial DFT energetic analysis of small Pd-Pt clusters (N = 2-20) showed that their corresponding binding energies are slightly biased towards the stronger metal-metal bonding interactions (i. e. Pt-Pt). This led to a detailed analysis of Pd-Pt structural motifs and segregation effects, where the heteronuclear Pd-Pt parameters in the Gupta potential are derived as weighted averages of the Pd-Pd and Pt-Pt parameters, with the weighting factor (w) ranging from 0 (Pt-biased) to 1 (Pd-biased). The introduction of the weighting factor allowed us to identify three main types of segregation: core-shell; spherical cap; and ball-and-cup (intermediate between the first two types). The structural motifs predicted by the Gupta potential, as a function of composition and potential weighting factor, have been compared to our previous published Gupta and DFT calculations for 34-atom Pt-Pt clusters. From this study, we have found that a slightly Pd-biased weighting factor (w = 0.6) stabilises the mixed decahedral close packed structural motif, previously reported as the DFT global minimum in the region of most exothermic mixing for 34-atom Pd-Pt clusters. Our results show that by finely tuning the Gupta potential, one can qualitatively reproduce structural and chemical ordering patterns observed at higher levels of theory (e. g. DFT)
Implications of the Improvement of Teaching Quality for Professional Development (PD) of Academics at the Colleges of Applied Sciences (CASs) in the Sultanate of Oman
No full textThe Oman Accreditation Council (OAC), which is called later the Oman Academic Accreditation Authority (OAAA), designed a higher education institution (HEI) Quality Assurance (QA) framework for Omani public and private Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), starting with a quality audit process in 2008. The Colleges of Applied Sciences (CASs), as a public HEI, are required to ensure the quality of all services and activities to meet particular national standards (specified in the framework) in order to gain a HEI and programme certificate. In line with a quality audit scope, the quality of the fields of PD and related teaching quality should be ensured and enhanced by the promotion and contribution of the former field to the maintenance and improvement of the latter one.
The chief purpose of this study was to identify the uptake and implications of the growing requirement to improve teaching quality and the PD of academics at the CASs in the Sultanate of Oman especially in the context of the application of the QA framework. The study focused on examining the academics’ participation in professional development programmes (PDPs) and current perceptions of PD with respect to the improvement of teaching quality improvement at these colleges. The current study also dealt with a reorganization and prioritization of academics’ PD needs, barriers to effective PD, and factors to enhance PD of academics regarding teaching quality improvement in the colleges.
Based on the purpose and research objectives, the current study adopted both positivist (quantitative) and interpretive (qualitative) research paradigms. Because the study perused quantitative and qualitative data regarding certain variables, it chose a mixed-research design. The researcher designed survey questionnaire to collect quantitative data and a semi-structured interview and a focus group discussion to probe and interpret quantitative findings. After fulfillment of the validity and reliability measurements, a self-completion questionnaire was distributed to a stratified random sample of academics (170) over the six CASs. A total of 150 questionnaires (out of 170) were completed and returned and the response-rate reached 88.2%. The quantitative data was analyzed by appropriate analysis using the Statistical Package for Social sciences (SPSS), while the qualitative data was analyzed by appropriate qualitative analysis.
The findings of the study showed that the level of academics’ participation in PDPs to improve teaching quality in the last two years in the CASs seems to be unsatisfactorily low. The current perceptions of the PD situations in the colleges, relating to teaching quality improvement, signified a shortage in the number of available PDPs and/or a discouragement of academics’ participation in these programmes in the last two years. The study also revealed all the 22 PD needs of academics regarding the improvement of teaching quality are significantly demanded by participants; the higher rated needs focused on a development of ‘student centred’ skills, such as critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Furthermore, the study illustrated that the highest significant perceived barriers to effective PD in the CASs, as related to teaching quality improvement, focus on a lack of a clear institutional PD policy and a lack of appropriately systematic PD plans. The study also revealed all 10 perceived factors to enhance PD regarding teaching quality improvement are very important. The most significant factors represented and stressed particular problematic issues (the high rated barriers) and a reduction of a heavy workload to enhance academics’ participation in PD regarding the improvement of teaching quality.
Conclusions drawn from the discussion of the findings of study include a lack of a clear PD policy at national and institutional levels and absence of a particular authority/unit concerning PD issues in Omani HEIs. The two problematic issues resulted in a lack of systematic and realistic PD plans in the CASs, involving a lack of academics’ involvement in PD plans, a misconnection of academics’ PD needs to PD, inappropriate facilities and resources allocation, and inappropriate evaluation processes of PD. In addition, the conclusions also include that PD of academics regarding the improvement of teaching quality in the colleges requires more attention and focus to manage particular significant issues perceived by participants as both barriers and potential facilitators relating to PD of academics.
Based on identified conclusions, particular implications for policy and practice to enhance PD to improve teaching quality were set at three levels: governmental, institutional, and individual. Moreover, achievements of the current study according to the research questions were identified and contributions of the study to the fields of PD, teaching quality, and the context of QA and quality audit in HE were addressed. Based on the findings and conclusions, particular directions and recommended issues were suggested to be studied by further research to benefit the enhancement of PD and related teaching quality improvement
Obtenção, caracterização e avaliação da atividade de um nanocatalisador de Pd(0) sintetizado in situ sob a superfície de Fe3O4@dextrana para redução do 4-nitrofenol
No full textTese (doutorado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Ciências Físicas e Matemáticas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Química, Florianópolis, 2015.O objetivo principal deste trabalho é a preparação, caracterização e avaliação da atividade catalítica das nanopartículas (NPs) de Pd impregnadas no suporte magnético magnetita e estabilizada por dextrana. As NPs-Pd foram preparadas por crescimento in situ sob a superfície de nanopartículas superparamagnéticas (NPSMs) (Fe3O4@dextrana/Pd(0)). O controle do crescimento das NPs-Pd foi feito com o auxílio de NaBH4, como agente redutor. O catalisador de Fe3O4@dextrana/Pd foi totalmente caracterizado por diversas técnicas tais como espectroscopia de infravermelho, espalhamento de luz dinâmico, espalhamento de raios-X a baixos ângulos, microscopia eletrônica de transmissão e varredura, e difração de raios-X de pó. A caracterização mostrou que o catalisador é constituído de um suporte feito de Fe3O4@dextrana composto por unidades de nanocristais com tamanho de 9,7 nm, formando nanoclusters de 105,6 nm, contendo as NPs-Pd de 7,8 nm impregnadas em sua superfície. Os estudos cinéticos foram realizados por UV-vis, sendo que a atividade catalítica foi avaliada pela reação modelo de redução do p-nitrofenol (Nip), utilizando NaBH4. Aplicando um modelo de reação de superfície pseudo-molecular, a reação foi investigada pelo modelo teórico de isoterma de adsorção, revelando ser uma reação bimolecular que segue o mecanismo de Langmuir-Hinshelwood. A atividade catalítica do nanocatalisador Fe3O4@ dextrana/Pd com área superficial de 3,33 m2L-1x10-3 (0, 0053 mg L-1 de Pd) pode ser efetivamente analisada, e foi possível obter os parâmetros cinéticos kL, KBH4- e KNip. Os resultados mostraram que as moléculas de Nip possuem afinidade de adsorção muito maior do que BH4- pela superfície das NPs-Pd, resultado da influência do caráter hidrofóbico do Nip sob a constante de adsorção do substrato. Um novo parâmetro de atividade catalítica ??? foi proposto e utilizado com sucesso na comparação com outros catalisadores reportados na literatura. As NPSMs de Fe3O4@dextrana/Pd apresentaram um valor de ? = 3,65 L mg-1 s-1, superior ao citado na literatura. O estudo do reuso de Fe3O4@dextrana/Pd demonstrou que é possível reutilizar as mesmas por até 5 vezes com cerca de 99% de conversão do Nip e valor alto de TOF, 692 h-1.Abstract : The aim of this work was the preparation, characterization and evaluation of catalytic activity of Pd nanoparticles (NPs) impregnated in magnetite and stabilized by dextran. The Pd NPs were prepared by the in situ growth under the surface of superparamagnetic nanoparticles. The growth control of Pd NPs was made with the aid of NaBH4, as reducing agent. The catalyst Fe3O4@dextran/Pd was fully characterized by several techniques such as: infrared spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, X-ray scattering at small angle, transmission and scanning electron microscopy , and diffraction X-ray powder. The characterization revealed that the catalyst consisted of a support made of Fe3O4@dextran nanocrystals composed of units with 9.7 nm in size, forming nanoclusters of 105.6 nm containing NPs of Pd with 7.8 nm diameter, impregnated in the surface. The kinetic studies were performed by UV-vis spectrocopy, and the catalytic activity was evaluated by the model reaction of the p-nitrophenol (Nip) reduction, using NaBH4 as a reducing agent. Applying a pseudo-molecular surface reaction approach, the reduction reaction could be investigated by means of a theoretical adsorption model, revealing that the reaction is bimolecular and followed the Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism.The catalytic activity of nano-catalyst of Fe3O4@dextran/Pd, with a surface area of 3.33m2L-1x103 (0.0053 mg L-1Pd), could be effectively determined, obtaining the kinetic parameters kL, KBH4- and KNip. These kinetics results showed that the Nip molecules have higheraffinity for the catalyst surface than the molecules of BH4-, as a result of the influence of the Nip hydrophobic character. A new catalytic activity parameter "?" was proposed and effectively used for comparison with other recent reported catalysts. The reuse studies showed that could be reused up to 5 times with about 99% conversion of Nip and a high TOF value, 692 h-1
Valorisation of Biomass Derived Furfural and Levulinic Acid by Highly Efficient Pd@ND Catalyst
No full textPalladium nanoparticles deposited on nanodiamonds (Pd/ND) have been demonstrated as efficient catalyst for the liquid phase hydrogenation of furfural and levulinic acid to furfuryl alcohol and gamma-valerolactone, respectively. The activity of the catalyst was compared to other counterparts such as Pd on activated carbon, graphene and carbon nanotubes respectively, and was found to depend on surface carbonyl groups. The highest stability of Pd/ND seems to be related to the presence of a higher amount of sp(3) carbon compared to the other supports. The developed methodology will prove beneficial for valorization of biomass derived furfural and levulinic acid in the future biorefineries
Gupta-Belnap Revision Theories of Truth, Kripkean Fixed points, and the Next Stable Set
No full textAbstract. We consider various concepts associated with the revision theory of truth of Gupta and Belnap. We categorize the notions definable using their theory of circular definitions as those notions universally definable over the next stable set. We give a simplified (in terms of definitional complexity) account of varied revision sequences- as a generalised algorithmic theory of truth. This enables something of a unification with the Kripkean theory of truth using supervaluation schemes. 1. Introduction. Th
PD-L1 expression predicts longer disease free survival in high risk head and neck cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma
No full textProgrammed cell death (PD-1) and its ligand (PD-L1) inhibitors have shown clinical response in many tumours. PD-L1 data are limited in head and neck cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (HNcSCC) and no clinical trials of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors are published. We performed PD-L1 immunohistochemistry on 74 cases of high risk HNcSCC with 38 matched metastases and evaluated clinicopathological associations, prognostic significance and heterogeneity in matched metastases. We observed PD-L1 expression in >5% of primary tumour cells in 29 cases (39.2%), primary tumour infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in 40 cases (70.2%), metastatic tumour cells in 15 cases (39.5%), and metastatic TILs in 18 cases (47.4%). PD-L1 expression in >5% of primary tumour cells was associated with an inflammatory phenotype (p = 0.04), and in primary TILs with clear margins (p = 0.05). PD-L1 expression in >5% of primary tumour cells (p = 0.01), primary TILs (p = 0.001), and metastatic TILs (p = 0.02) was associated with improved disease free survival. PD-L1 expression in >5% of tumour cells was heterogeneous between primary and metastatic tumours in 13 cases (34.2%). PD-L1 expression is common in HNcSCC supporting the rationale for a clinical trial of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors. PD-L1 expression in tumour cells or TILs predicts longer disease free survival and demonstrates temperospatial heterogeneity
Fullerene-like WS<sub>2</sub> supported Pd catalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction
No full textHydrogen is the most desirable green energy carrier and electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) from water is a promising route for hydrogen production. The search for efficient, low-cost HER catalysts is a challenging and attracting topic. In this work, we report that inorganic fullerene-like WS2 supported Pd nanoparticles (Pd/WS2), with Pd loading of 0.76 wt%, are active for electrocatalytic HER conducted in 0.5 M H2SO4 solution, with overpotential at 10 mA cm−2 current density of ~130 mV and Tafel slope of 82.4 mV dec−1, which is comparable to that of Pt/WS2 (0.88 wt% Pt loading) with higher costs. Characteristic results indicate that WO3 impurities were in-situ produced on the WS2 surface and the Pd NPs are primarily located inside the WS2 nanocages. Contrasting experiments suggest that the WO3 impurities play a crucial role in generating Hads intermediate and the Pd NPs are active sites of H2 production, and a reaction mechanism is proposed. The Pd/WS2 catalyst also shows good long-term stability owing to the location of Pd NPs inside the WS2 cages. The high HER activity, low costs and good stability make the Pd catalyst a potential alternative to Pt catalyst for HER.Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository 'You share, we take care!' - Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.Micro and Nano Engineerin
A theoretical study on chemical ordering of 38-atom trimetallic Pd-Ag-Pt nanoalloys
No full textIn this study, truncated octahedron (TO) structure is selected for further analysis and we focus on 38-atom Pd-Pt-Ag trimetallic nanoalloys. The best chemical ordering structures of Pd(n)Ag(32 -n)Pt(6)trimetallic nanoalloys are obtained at Gupta level. The structures with the lowest energy at Gupta level are then re-optimized by density functional theory (DFT) relaxations and DFT results confirm the Gupta level calculations with small shifts on bond lengths indicating TO structure is favorable for 38-atom of Pd(n)Ag(32 -n)Pt(6)trimetallic nanoalloys. The DFT excess energy analysis shows that Pd(8)Ag(24)Pt(6)composition has the lowest excess energy value in common with excess energy analysis at Gupta level. In Pd(8)Ag(24)Pt(6)composition, eight Pd atoms are central sites of 8 (111) hexagonal facets of TO, 24 Ag atoms locate on surface, and 6 Pt atoms locate at the core of the structure. It is also obtained that all of the compositions except Pd(18)Ag(14)Pt(6)and Pd(20)Ag(12)Pt(6)exhibit a octahedral Pt core. Besides, it is observed that there is a clear tendency for Ag atoms to segregate to the surface and also Pt atoms prefer to locate at core due to order parameter (R) variations
Pd-Catalyzed Chemoselective O‑Benzylation of Ambident 2‑Quinolinone Nucleophiles
No full textWe have discovered and developed a highly chemoselective
O-benzylation
of ambident 2-quinolinone nucleophiles via Pd-catalysis. Detailed
reaction analysis using direct-injection high resolution mass spectrometry
(DI-HRMS) combined with in situ 31P NMR implicate a phosphine
mono-oxide Pd(II) η1-benzyl complex as a key intermediate
on the catalytic cycle. Extrapolation of this method to selectively
O-alkylate a series of substituted 2-quinolinones using several benzylic
electrophiles is demonstrated providing 2-benzyloxy quinolines in
good yields and high O:N selectivities (up to 100:1) utilizing as
little as 1 mol % Pd-catalyst to achieve these results
Pd-Catalyzed Chemoselective O‑Benzylation of Ambident 2‑Quinolinone Nucleophiles
No full textWe have discovered and developed a highly chemoselective
O-benzylation
of ambident 2-quinolinone nucleophiles via Pd-catalysis. Detailed
reaction analysis using direct-injection high resolution mass spectrometry
(DI-HRMS) combined with in situ 31P NMR implicate a phosphine
mono-oxide Pd(II) η1-benzyl complex as a key intermediate
on the catalytic cycle. Extrapolation of this method to selectively
O-alkylate a series of substituted 2-quinolinones using several benzylic
electrophiles is demonstrated providing 2-benzyloxy quinolines in
good yields and high O:N selectivities (up to 100:1) utilizing as
little as 1 mol % Pd-catalyst to achieve these results
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