69 research outputs found
Inductive energy harvesters with magnetic suspensions: experimental identification of performances and efficiency
No full textThe design, fabrication and experimental identification of inductive energy harvesters for the conversion of vibrations into electricity are reported in this paper. The proposed generator is based on magnetically levitated suspensions and is addressed to structural monitoring applications on vehicles. The experimental tests have the goal to optimize the dynamic response of the harvester prototyp
Rheological stratification in experimental free-surface flows of granular-liquid mixtures
No full textAb initio modeling of 2D and quasi-2D lead organohalide perovskites with divalent organic cations and a tunable band gap
No full textWe describe theoretically the structure and properties of layered lead organohalide perovskites, considering purely bi-dimensional (2D) PbI4 layers, and quasi-2D systems where the inorganic layers are formed by more than one lead iodide sheet. The intercalating organic dications were designed to have low lying virtual orbitals (LUMO), so as to induce in the perovskite the appearance of virtual bands, localized in the organic layer, either close to the inorganic conduction band bottom or valence band top, or in some cases in the middle of the inorganic band gap. Such a feature is quite uncommon for this class of materials, and deserves attention since it allows one to tune the effective band gap of the material, possibly leading to the absorption of visible light and influencing the optical properties deeply. We discuss the effect of functional groups on the organic cations, and of the different symmetries used in geometry optimizations: a careful analysis of the contributions to the dispersion curves and band gaps was performed. The charge carrier mobility is also discussed, computing the conductivity over relaxation time and the effective masses for all the systems, with particular attention to the features related to the unusual organic intra-gap bands. All the structures were optimized at the DFT level, with inclusion of dispersion effects; dispersion curves were computed with full relativistic potentials, and the band gaps corrected for long range coulombic effects at the GW level. A semiempirical approach, based on the integration of charge carrier group velocities over a dense grid of k-points, was used to compute the conductivities and effective masses
Controls Over Particle Motion and Resting Times of Coarse Bed Load Transport in a Glacier-Fed Mountain Stream
No full textCoarse bed load transport is a crucial process in river morphodynamics but is difficult to monitor in mountain streams. Here we present a new sediment transport data set obtained from 2 years of field-based monitoring (2014–2015) at the Estero Morales, a high-gradient stream in the central Chilean Andes. This stream features step-pool bed geometry and a glacier-fed hydrologic regime characterized by abrupt daily fluctuations in discharge. Bed load was monitored directly using Bunte samplers and by surveying the mobility of passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags. We used the competence method to quantify the effective slope, which is the fraction of the topographical slope responsible for bed load transport. This accounts for only 10% of the topographical slope, confirming that most of the energy is dissipated on macroroughness elements. We used the displacement lengths of PIT tags to analyze displacement lengths and virtual velocity of a wide range of tracer sizes (38–415 mm). Bed load transport in the Estero Morales shown to be size-selective, and the distance between steps influences the displacement lengths of PIT tags. Displacement lengths were also used to derive the statistics of flight distances and resting times. Our results show that the average length of flight scales inversely to grain size. This contradicts Einstein's conjecture about the linear relationship between grain size and intervals between resting periods in a steep step-pool stream in ordinary flood conditions
Understanding methane adsorption in porous aromatic frameworks: An FTIR, Raman, and theoretical combined study
No full textWe present a vibrational study of PAF-302, belonging to the class of porous aromatic frameworks (PAFs), recently synthesized and applied in several applications involving gas adsorption. The precursor, tetrakis(4-bromophenyl) methane (TBPM), and the polymer were studied with FTIR and Raman spectroscopies to investigate the structure of PAF-302, whereas the system after methane adsorption was studied by FTIR, also varying the CH4 loading, to get some hints on the strength of the interactions with adsorbed methane. Theoretical calculations of the harmonic frequencies of TBPM, methane, and methane/aromatic model systems were performed at high theory level (MP2 with extended basis set) to support the assignment of vibrational bands and to estimate the interactions causing the observed frequency shifts upon methane adsorption. The analysis shows that the polymerization process is essentially complete and that the adsorbed CH4 molecules interact with two phenyl rings, though stronger interactions can be envisaged. The computed interaction energies are compatible with the isosteric heats of adsorption previously measured for methane in PAF-302. A Grand Canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) approach was used to simulate CH4 adsorption isotherms at different temperatures (87-115 K) and in the 0-0.020 bar pressure range, thus allowing us to estimate the loading of methane in the FTIR adsorption study. © 2014 American Chemical Society
Effects of high altitude chronic hypoxia on platelet alfa2 receptors in man
No full textAlpha2 and beta receptors in human platelets of healthy subjects in chronic hypoxia were investigated. During chronic high-altitude (HA) exposure, basal and exercise-induced noradrenaline (NA) increases do not parallel blood pressure (BP) changes observed; unlike beta-adrenergic receptors, to our knowledge no data are available on alpha-receptors. We studied platelet alpha 2- and leucocyte beta-receptors and basal catecholamine levels in 11 trained climbers before and after they had spent a 15-day period at a height of over 4400 m. In six of the climbers we also evaluated catecholamines after maximal bicycle ergometer exercise. After chronic high-altitude exposure, a significant decrease was found in platelet alpha 2-receptor density and affinity [Bmax from 92.6 +/- 6.7 to 54.6 +/- 4.2 fmol mg-1 protein (P < 0.001) and KD from 1.271 +/- 0.034 to 1.724 +/- 0.077 nmol L-1 (P < 0.05)], although no changes to beta-receptors were observed. No changes were found in basal pre- and post-expedition NA and adrenaline (A), and there was only a slight decrease in post-expedition NA after maximal exercise. Our results suggest that prolonged exposure to hypoxia induces a down-regulation of alpha 2-receptors, which may be a contributory factor in the regulation of the physiological vascular response to acclimatization
Ab initio modeling of 2D layered organohalide lead perovskites
No full textA number of 2D layered perovskites A2PbI4 and BPbI4, with A and B mono- and divalent ammonium and imidazolium cations, have been modeled with different theoretical methods. The periodic structures have been optimized (both in monoclinic and in triclinic systems, corresponding to eclipsed and staggered arrangements of the inorganic layers) at the DFT level, with hybrid functionals, Gaussian-type orbitals and dispersion energy corrections. With the same methods, the various contributions to the solid stabilization energy have been discussed, separating electrostatic and dispersion energies, organic-organic intralayer interactions and H-bonding effects, when applicable. Then the electronic band gaps have been computed with plane waves, at the DFT level with scalar and full relativistic potentials, and including the correlation energy through the GW approximation. Spin orbit coupling and GW effects have been combined in an additive scheme, validated by comparing the computed gap with well known experimental and theoretical results for a model system. Finally, various contributions to the computed band gaps have been discussed on some of the studied systems, by varying some geometrical parameters and by substituting one cation in another's place
Monocytes/macrophages prevent healing defects and left ventricular thrombus formation after myocardial infarction
No full textMyocardial infarction (MI) leads to rapid necrosis of cardiac myocytes. To achieve tissue integrity and function, inflammatory cells are activated, including monocytes/macrophages. However, the effect of monocyte/macrophage recruitment after MI remains poorly defined. After experimental MI, monocytes and macrophages were depleted through serial injections of clodronate-containing liposomes. Monocyte/macrophage infiltration was reduced in the myocardium after MI by active treatment. Mortality was increased due to thromboembolic events in monocyte-and macrophage-depleted animals (92 vs. 33%; P<0.01). Left ventricular thrombi were detectable as early as 24 h after MI; this was reproduced in a genetic model of monocyte/macrophage ablation. A general prothrombotic state, increased infarct expansion, and deficient neovascularization were not observed. Severely compromised extracellular matrix remodeling (collagen I, placebo liposome vs. clodronate liposome, 2.4 +/- 0.2 vs. 0.8 +/- 0.2 arbitrary units; P<0.001) and locally lost integrity of the endocardium after MI are potential mechanisms. Patients with a left ventricular thrombus had a relative decrease of CD14(+) CD16(+) monocyte/macrophage subsets in the peripheral blood after MI (no thrombus vs. thrombus, 14.2 +/- 0.9 vs. 7.80 +/- 0.4%; P<0.05). In summary, monocytes/macrophages are of central importance for healing after MI. Impaired monocyte/macrophage function appears to be an unrecognized new pathophysiological mechanism for left ventricular thrombus development after MI.-Frantz, S., Hofmann, U., Fraccarollo, D., Schafer, A., Kranepuhl, S., Hagedorn, I., Nieswandt, B., Nahrendorf, M., Wagner, H., Bayer, B., Pachel, C., Schon, M.P., Kneitz, S., Bobinger, T., Weidemann, F., Ertl, G., Bauersachs, J. Monocytes/macrophages prevent healing defects and left ventricular thrombus formation after myocardial infarction. FASEB J. 27, 871-881 (2013). www.fasebj.or
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