General cable theory for cells of algae Characeae

Cable theory is extended to objects of finite dimensions such as giant cells of the algae Characeae.     

昆虫学相关电子期刊资源简介

随着文献信息资源的数字化发展 ,网络文献信息以其多方面的优势正渐渐成为教学、科研所依赖的重要资源 ,了解和掌握与学科专业相关的电子资源分布状况是非常重要的。本文着重简述与昆虫学相关的国内外电子期刊资源。     

Two Channels of Charge Generation in Perylene Monoimide Solid‐State Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells

The mechanism of charge generation in solid‐state dye‐sensitized solar cells using triarylamine‐substituted perylene monoimide dyes is studied by vis‐NIR broadband pump‐probe transient absorption spectroscopy. The experiments demonstrate that photoinduced electron injection into the TiO₂ can only occur in regions where Li⁺, from the commonly used Li‐TFSI additive salt, is present on the TiO₂ surface. Incomplete surface coverage by Li⁺ means that some dye excitons cannot inject their electron into the TiO₂. However it is observed in the solar cell structure that some of the dye excitons that cannot directly inject an electron still contribute to free charge generation by the previously hypothesized reductive quenching mechanism (hole transfer to the solid‐state hole transporter followed by electron injection from the dye anion into the TiO₂). The contribution of reductive quenching to the quantum efficiency of charge generation is significant, raising it from 68% to over 80%. Optimization of this reductive quenching pathway could be exploited to maintain high quantum efficiency in dyes with greater NIR absorption to achieve overall enhancements in device performance. It is demonstrated that broadband NIR transient spectroscopy is necessary to obtain population kinetics in these systems, as strong Stark effects distort the population kinetics in the visible region.     

Xylem ingestion by aphids – a strategy for maintaining water balance

A new waveform, pattern G, detected during recording of electrical penetration graphs (EPG's) from aphids was strongly correlated with uptake from radioactively labelled artificial diets. During pattern G, maxillary stylet tips were located within xylem conductive elements and it was concluded that pattern G is representative of ingestion of xylem sap. Dehydrated aphids showed a higher incidence and greater duration of xylem uptake, suggesting that its occurrence is related to the water balance of the insect.

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Résumé Une nouvelle onde, de type G, décelée pendant l'enregistrement des électropénétrogrammes (EPG's) des pucerons est nettement associée à la prise d'aliments marqués radioactivement. Pendant l'onde G, les extrémités des stylets maxillaires sont situées dans les éléments conducteurs du xylème et l'on en conclu que l'onde G représente l'ingestion du contenu du xylème. Les pucerons déshydratés présentent une plus grande fréquence et une durée plus longue d'absorption de xylème, ce qui suggère qu'elle est liée à l'équilibre hydrique de l'insecte.

     

PHYTONET (http://www.dsa.unipr.it/phytonet), a Thematic Network Devoted to the Scientific,Economical, Environmental,and Social Aspects of Phytoremediation

Phytoremediation is a relatively new technology, whose practical application still requires more studies in various fields, including biology, sociology, legislation, and education. In order to establish a phytoremediation site, it is necessary that: (1) no detrimental effects are transferred to the surrounding environment, (2) the management of the site is effective from an economical and social point of view, and (3) the overall strategy is economically advantageous over other techniques. Waste management and treatment have a great social and psychological impact. Therefore, the public acceptance of phytoremediation application also depends on appropriate measures taken to inform people about the advantages and safety of this technology. Another very important aspect is the regulatory acceptance of phytoremediation as a valid alternative to other remediation or decontamination strategies. In this case the safety of the procedure utilized and the absence of environmental impacts is mandatory. In order to integrate these different aspects with modern strategies for phytoremediation, it is important that scientists, economists, lawyers, and managers from public and private agencies and institutions are able to share their own needs, experiences, and results. PHYTONET is a thematic network created with the purpose of addressing all of these issues and links with other networks operating on similar or complementary subjects.     

Electronic structure of siloxene model compounds

The electronic structures of one-dimensional and two-dimensional siloxene (Si₆O₃H₆) model compounds have been examined theoretically, using the semiempirical tight-binding self-consistent field crystal orbital (SCF-CO) method. These compounds are formed by silicon-based chain and planar structures containing a regular array of oxygen atoms. Results show that the two-dimensional polysilane in which OH groups are substituted for H atoms possesses a relatively smaller direct gap than other siloxenes. It is assumed that the electronic structures of siloxenes are affected not only by the dimensionality of Si-Si -conjugational networks due to an array of oxygen atoms, but also by the diminishing of the electron population in the Si-Si bonding orbitals caused by oxygen atoms with large electronegativity.     

How the Electronic Health Record Will Change the Future of Health Care

Genetic testing is expected to play a critical role in patient care in the near future. Advances in genomic research have the potential to impact medicine in very tangible and direct ways, from carrier screening to disease diagnosis and prognosis to targeted treatments and personalized medicine. However, numerous barriers to widespread adoption of genetic testing continue to exist, and health information technology will be a critical means of addressing these challenges. Electronic health records (EHRs) are a digital replacement for the traditional paper-based patient chart designed to improve the quality of patient care. EHRs have become increasingly essential to managing the wealth of existing clinical information that now includes genetic information extracted from the patient genome. The EHR is capable of changing health care in the future by transforming the way physicians use genomic information in the practice of medicine.     

Synthesis,spectral characterisation and cytotoxic effect of metal complexes of 2-(2-(4-carboxyphenyl)guanidino) acetic acid ligand

Abstract

A new series of Cr(III), Mn(II), Fe(III), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II), Cd(II), Sr(II), Hg(II), Ag(I), Tl(I) and UO₂(II) complexes of 2-(2-(4-carboxyphenyl)guanidino)acetic acid ligand have been synthesised and characterised by elemental analyses, IR, UV-Vis spectra, mass spectra (ligand and its zinc(II) complex), ¹H NMR spectra (ligand and its mercury(II) complex), magnetic moments, conductances, thermal analyses (DTA and TGA) and ESR measurements. The IR data show that, the ligand behaves as neutral tridentate, (2), [(H_{2 L}L)_{3 C}Cu_{2 (}(OAc)_{4 (}(H_{2 O}O)_{2 ]} ], neutral bidentate, (3), [(H_2LL)Cu(OAc)_2]].1/2H_2OO, (13), [(HL)_2CCuCl₂₍(H_2OO)_2]], (17), [(H_2LL)Cu(OOSO₂₎)(H_2OO)J,dibasic hexadentate, (4), [(L) Ni₄₍(OAc)₆₍(H_2OO)J.4H_2OO, (5), [(L)Mn4(OAc)6(H2O)10]. 4H2O, (6), [(L)Co4(OAc)6(H2O)10] . 4H2O, monobasic bidentate, (7), [(HL)(UO2)(OAc)(H2O)3], (12), [(HL)2Cu], (15), [(HL)2Fe2(Cl4)(H2O)2]. 7H2O, (16), [(HL)2Cr2(Cl4)(H2O)2]. 7H2O, (21 ), [(H2L)Cd (OOSO2)(H2O)3]. 2H2O, monobasic tridentate, (8), [(L)_2HHg₂₍(OAc)₂ (H2O)6].H2O, (9), [(L)2Zn2(OAc)2(H2O)6].H2O, (10), [(L) _2ZZn₂₍(OAc)₂₍(H_2OO)_6]].H_2OO, (11), [(L)Tl4(OAc)3 (H2O)6], (18), [(HL)(OH)Cr2(SO4)2(H2O)5]. H2O, (19), [(HL)3Ag3NO3], or dibasic tridentate, (14), [(L) Sr(Cl)_{20 (}(H_{2 O}O)_{24 ]}], (20), [(L)_{3 C}Cu (H_{2 O}O)_{2 ]} ]. Molar conductances in DMF indicate that, the complexes are non-electrolyte. The ESR spectra of Cu(II) complexes (2), (3) and (20) at room temperature show axial type symmetry with g_// > g_-> 2.00, indicating a d_(x2-y2) ground state with significant covalent bond character in an octahedral or square planar geometry. However, Cu(II) complexes (12) and (13) show isotropic type, indicating square planar and octahedral structure. Complexes Mn(II) (5) and Co(II) (6) show broad signals in the low field region indicating spin exchange interaction take place between metal(II) ion. Hg(II) complex (9), Tl(I) complex (11), Cr(III) complex (16), Cu(II) complex (17) and Cd(II) complex (21) showed potential antiproliferative activity where they showed inhibitory effect on breast carcinoma (MCF-7 cell line) in comparing with the standard drug.     

Has the mist been peered through? Revisiting the building blocks of human health risk assessment for electronic cigarette use

Electronic cigarettes, battery-powered nicotine delivery devices, have been increasingly used in the past decade. This critical review provides a qualitative research synthesis of the human health risks associated with E-vapor inhalation in the peer-reviewed literature and our own preliminary experimental results. E-cigarettes may be as efficient as traditional cigarettes in nicotine delivery, especially for experienced users, and studies suggest lower emissions of air toxics from E-cigarette vapor and lower second- and third-hand vapor exposures. Some toxic emissions may however surpass those of traditional cigarettes, especially under high voltage vaping conditions. Experimentally, E-vapor/E-liquid exposures reduce cell viability and promote pro-inflammatory cytokine release. User vulnerability to concomitant environmental agent exposures, such as viruses and bacteria, may potentially be increased. While evidence to date suggests that E-cigarettes release fewer toxins and carcinogens compared to cigarettes, E-vapor is not safe and might adversely affect human immune functions. Major knowledge gaps hinder risk quantification and effective regulation of E-cigarette products including: lack of long-term exposure studies, lack of understanding of biological mechanisms associated with exposure, and lack of integration of exposure and toxicity assessments. Better data are needed to inform human health risk assessments and understand the public health impact of E-vapor exposures.     

Exhaled breath volatile alterations in pregnancy assessed with electronic nose

Context: Pregnancy-linked accelerated metabolism and oxidative stress may alter the exhaled volatile compound pattern (“breathprint”). Electronic noses can distinguish “breathprints” associated with different disorders.

Objective: This is the first study assessing alterations in “breathprint” during gestation.

Material and methods: 130 women participated in our study (78 pregnant vs. 52 non-pregnant). Breath samples were processed by an electronic nose and analyzed using principal component analysis.

Results: Significant differences were found in exhaled breath pattern between pregnant and non-pregnant women (p?=?0.001).

Conclusion: Pregnancy-induced changes in exhaled gases need to be considered when pregnant women with respiratory disorders carry out breath tests.     

The kinemage: a tool for scientific communication.

A "kinemage" (kinetic image) is a scientific illustration presented as an interactive computer display. Operations on the displayed kinemage respond within a fraction of a second: the entire image can be rotated in real time, parts of the display can be turned on or off, points can be identified by selecting them, and the change between different forms can be animated. A kinemage is prepared and specified by the author(s) of a journal article, in order to better communicate ideas that depend on three-dimensional information. The kinemages are distributed as plain text files of commented display lists and accompanying explanations. They are viewed and explored in an open-ended way by the reader using a simple graphics program, such as the one described here (called MAGE), which presently runs on Macintosh computers. A utility (called PREKIN) helps authors prepare the kinemages. Kinemages are being implemented under the auspices of the Innovative Technology Fund.     

Theoretical study of the electronic structure and conformation of polysilole and its derivatives

The electronic structures and conformations in the optimized geometries of polysilole and its derivatives are studied theoretically, using the one-dimensional tight-binding self-consistent field crystal orbital (SCF-CO) method. It has been found that the copolymer formed by alternating aromatic silole and quinoid thiophene has a relatively small bandgap value. We observe that polysilole may show an interesting thermochromic behavior, because the conformation of polysilole is considerably easier to change at lower temperature than that of polythiophene.     

电子载体对丁醇发酵的影响

研究在培养基中加入不同电子载体对丁醇发酵的影响。结果表明:添加微量的苄基紫精可以促进丁醇的产生,同时可强烈抑制丙酮的合成,丁醇体积分数由66.92%提高到82.35%。苄基紫精可促进菌株快速进入产溶剂期,发酵周期明显缩短,丁醇生产强度显著提高。7%玉米培养基中加入40 mg/L苄基紫精,丁醇产量最高达16.10 g/L,生产强度为0.37 g/(L.h),分别较对照提高10.96%和60.87%。在初始丁醇体积分数较低的条件下,苄基紫精对丁醇合成的促进作用更明显。     

Probing Charge Recombination Dynamics in Organic Photovoltaic Devices under Open‐Circuit Conditions

Large perturbation transient photovoltage and impedance spectroscopy measurements are used to gain insights into recombination in organic photovoltaic devices. The combination of these two simple optoelectronic techniques enables characterization of recombination order as well as mobile and trapped charge evolution over a large range of carrier densities. The data show that trapped charge is approximately equal to total charge at low carrier densities in the high efficiency devices measured. Between low and high charge carrier density, the order of recombination is observed to vary from monomolecular to bimolecular to higher order. The new techniques and methods presented can be applied to any type of photovoltage device to gain insight into device operation and limitations.     

A field and experimental evaluation of the effect of data storage tags on the growth of cod

The effect of electronic data storage tags (DSTs) on the growth of cod Gadus morhua was evaluated in laboratory and field experiments. In the first laboratory experiment, large DSTs (60 × 18 mm, 3 g in water ) attached externally for 3 months did not have any effect ( anova , P  > 0·05) on the growth of adult cod (mean ±  s . d . 65 ± 4·5 cm total length) relative to untagged adult cod. In a second experiment, small DSTs (34 × 11 mm, 1·5 g in water) implanted into young cod (48·1 ± 4·4 cm) for an 8 month period did not have any effect upon the growth relative to untagged controls ( anova , P  > 0·05). Length data returned from tagging experiments conducted on adult cod (57·3 ± 7·5 cm) in the North Sea showed that the growth of fish tagged either externally or internally with large DSTs was not different ( t ‐test, P  > 0·05). Attachment wounds, however, provided evidence that external attachment of DSTs should be avoided unless sensor configuration requires access to the external environment, and that internal implantation should be preferred whenever possible.     

Defects in Cu(In,Ga)Se2 Chalcopyrite Semiconductors: A Comparative Study of Material Properties,Defect States,and Photovoltaic Performance

Understanding defects in Cu(In,Ga)(Se,S)₂ (CIGS), especially correlating changes in the film formation process with differences in material properties, photovoltaic (PV) device performance, and defect levels extracted from admittance spectroscopy, is a critical but challenging undertaking due to the complex nature of this polycrystalline compound semiconductor. Here we present a systematic comparative study wherein varying defect density levels in CIGS films were intentionally induced by growing CIGS grains using different selenium activity levels. Material characterization results by techniques including X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, secondary ion mass spectrometry, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and medium energy ion scattering indicate that this process variation, although not significantly affecting CIGS grain structure, crystal orientation, or bulk composition, leads to enhanced formation of a defective chalcopyrite layer with high density of indium or gallium at copper antisite defects ((In, Ga)_Cu) near the CIGS surface, for CIGS films grown with insufficient selenium supply. This defective layer or the film growth conditions associated with it is further linked with observed current‐voltage characteristics, including rollover and crossover behavior, and a defect state at around 110 meV (generally denoted as the N1 defect) commonly observed in admittance spectroscopy. The impact of the (In, Ga)_Cu defects on device PV performance is also established.     

Ab initio study of singlet excited states of bicyclo[2.2.0]hexasilane and tricyclo[4.2.0.02,5]octasilane

The singlet excited states in the optimized geometries of bicyclo[2.2.0]hexasilane and tricyclo[4.2.0.0^2,5]octasilane are studied theoretically using the ab initio molecular orbital method at the RHF/3-21G^* level with the all-singles CI approximation. These molecules are found to have zigzag structures in both the ground states and the singlet excited states corresponding to the lowest absorptions, and the estimated Stokes shifts between the lowest absorption and fluorescence are similar to the experimental values.     

Multi-torsking: simultaneous measurements of cod behaviour show differences between North Sea and Irish Sea stocks*

Fish behaviour can vary considerably in response to environmental and biological conditions. We used electronic Data Storage Tags (DSTs) to investigate the behaviour of cod in different environments; 74 North Sea cod and 20 Irish Sea cod were tagged and released in late-March 1999. So far, 32 tags (>2000 days of data) have been returned from the North Sea and four (>700 days) from the Irish Sea. The maximum recorded depth of a North Sea cod was 84 m, while Irish Sea cod utilised a depth range of 154 m. Active depth changes were of greater magnitude and rate in Irish Sea cod than North Sea cod. In addition, Irish Sea cod were continually active and made proportionally more active depth changes than North Sea cod, which were very active during migration (March–June) but exhibited little vertical movement during the summer months. To our knowledge, this is the first time that the behaviour patterns of cod from different stocks have been measured simultaneously over extended periods at such a fine temporal scale. In addition to describing considerable inter-stock differences in behaviour, our results suggest that while cod in the Irish Sea remain active and highly mobile throughout the year, North Sea cod reduce their movements during the summer feeding period. Our findings will contribute to the development of more biologically realistic management models used for evaluating the efficacy of fisheries technical measures, such as closed areas.