High‐Performance Tandem Organic Solar Cells Using HSolar as the Interconnecting Layer

Tandem structure provides a practical way to realize high efficiency organic photovoltaic cells, it can be used to extend the wavelength coverage for light harvesting. The interconnecting layer (ICL) between subcells plays a critical role in the reproducibility and performance of tandem solar cells, yet the processability of the ICL has been a challenge. In this work the fabrication of highly reproducible and efficient tandem solar cells by employing a commercially available material, PEDOT:PSS HTL Solar (HSolar), as the hole transporting material used for the ICL is reported. Comparing with the conventional PEDOT:PSS Al 4083 (c‐PEDOT), HSolar offers a better wettability on the underlying nonfullerene photoactive layers, resulting in better charge extraction properties of the ICL. When FTAZ:IT‐M and PTB7‐Th:IEICO‐4F are used as the subcells, a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 14.7% is achieved in the tandem solar cell. To validate the processability of these tandem solar cells, three other research groups have successfully fabricated tandem devices using the same recipe and the highest PCE obtained is 16.1%. With further development of donor polymers and device optimization, the device simulation results show that a PCE > 22% can be realized in tandem cells in the near future.     

Highly Efficient Tandem Organic Solar Cell Enabled by Environmentally Friendly Solvent Processed Polymeric Interconnecting Layer

In the field of organic solar cells (OSCs), tandem structure devices exhibit very attractive advantages for improving power conversion efficiency (PCE). In addition to the well researched novel pair of active layers in different subcells, the construction of interconnecting layer (ICL) also plays a critical role in achieving high performance tandem devices. In this work, a new way of achieving environmentally friendly solvent processed polymeric ICL by adopting poly[(9,9‐bis(3′‐(N,N‐dimethylamino)propyl)‐2,7‐fluorene)‐alt‐5,5′‐bis(2,2′‐thiophene)‐2,6‐naphthalene‐1,4,5,8‐tetracaboxylic‐N,N′‐di(2‐ethylhexyl)imide] (PNDIT‐F3N) blended with poly(ethyleneimine) (PEI) as the electron transport layer (ETL) and PEDOT:PSS as the hole transport layer is reported. It is found that the modification ability of PNDIT‐F3N on PEDOT can be linearly tuned by the incorporation of PEI, which offers the opportunity to study the charge recombination behavior in ICL. At last, tandem OSC with highest PCE of 12.6% is achieved, which is one of the best tandem OSCs reported till now. These results offer a new selection for constructing efficient ICL in high performance tandem OSCs and guide the way of design new ETL materials for ICL construction, and may even be integrated in future printed flexible large area module device fabrication with the advantages of environmentally friendly solvent processing and thickness insensitivity.     

Global Registration of Subway Tunnel Point Clouds Using an Augmented Extended Kalman Filter and Central-Axis Constraint

Because tunnels generally have tubular shapes, the distribution of tie points between adjacent scans is usually limited to a narrow region, which makes the problem of registration error accumulation inevitable. In this paper, a global registration method is proposed based on an augmented extended Kalman filter and a central-axis constraint. The point cloud registration is regarded as a stochastic system, and the global registration is considered to be a process that recursively estimates the rigid transformation parameters between each pair of adjacent scans. Therefore, the augmented extended Kalman filter (AEKF) is used to accurately estimate the rigid transformation parameters by eliminating the error accumulation caused by the pair-wise registration. Moreover, because the scanning range of a terrestrial laser scanner can reach hundreds of meters, a single scan can cover a tunnel segment with a length of more than one hundred meters, which means that the central axis extracted from the scan can be employed to control the registration of multiple scans. Therefore, the central axis of the subway tunnel is first determined through the 2D projection of the tunnel point cloud and curve fitting using the RANSAC (RANdom SAmple Consensus) algorithm. Because the extraction of the central axis by quadratic curve fitting may suffer from noise in the tunnel points and from variations in the tunnel, we present a global extraction algorithm that is based on segment-wise quadratic curve fitting. We then derive the central-axis constraint as an additional observation model of AEKF to optimize the registration parameters between each pair of adjacent scans. The proposed approach is tested on terrestrial point clouds that were acquired in a subway tunnel. The results show that the proposed algorithm is capable of improving the accuracy of aligning multiple scans by 48%.     

A Systematic Composite Service Design Modeling Method Using Graph-Based Theory

The composite service design modeling is an essential process of the service-oriented software development life cycle, where the candidate services, composite services, operations and their dependencies are required to be identified and specified before their design. However, a systematic service-oriented design modeling method for composite services is still in its infancy as most of the existing approaches provide the modeling of atomic services only. For these reasons, a new method (ComSDM) is proposed in this work for modeling the concept of service-oriented design to increase the reusability and decrease the complexity of system while keeping the service composition considerations in mind. Furthermore, the ComSDM method provides the mathematical representation of the components of service-oriented design using the graph-based theoryto facilitate the design quality measurement. To demonstrate that the ComSDM method is also suitable for composite service design modeling of distributed embedded real-time systems along with enterprise software development, it is implemented in the case study of a smart home. The results of the case study not only check the applicability of ComSDM, but can also be used to validate the complexity and reusability of ComSDM. This also guides the future research towards the design quality measurement such as using the ComSDM method to measure the quality of composite service design in service-oriented software system.     

Military Veterans and Service Dogs: A Qualitative Inquiry Using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis

There are over 18.8 million veterans of the United States of America's Armed Forces. After military service veterans may find it difficult transitioning back to civilian life. Veterans reintegrating may experience physical and psychological challenges related to their military service. For many, a successful role change takes considerable time and determination. In order to ease their transition, veterans are using the assistance of service dogs to aid in symptom management and assist with positive reintegration into civilian life. Service dogs are highly trained animals that help individuals perform life tasks to assist with physical and psychological challenges. The purpose of this qualitative study was to give voice to the experiential viewpoints of veterans who utilize service dogs. Guided by the theoretically informed method of interpretation— interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA)—the researchers uncovered the veterans’ perspectives, which provided meaningful insight into their lives with a service dog. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with veterans (n = 21) who utilized a service dog. The interviews lasted approximately one hour and were video or audio recorded. The most salient themes that emerged from the interviews were grouped into four superordinate themes: Procurement, psychosocial functioning, value, and detriments. Results suggest that service dogs improved veterans’ physical and psychological health, provided a coping resource and a form of social support, and supported sustaining their independence. Veterans’ right to privacy and the public's lack of knowledge and understanding of legal accommodation requirements via the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) were perceptible. Implications for policy, practice, and research, are discussed.     

医院预约挂号模式在远程会诊调度环节的运用与思考

伴随远程会诊在国内的普及和社会接受度的提升,改变影响会诊建立效率的调度方式对于提升服务水平十分必要。研究者通过借鉴医院门诊所采用的预约挂号方式,结合远程会诊与基于互联网的远程会诊平台结合紧密的特点,建立远程会诊预约挂号新模式。新模式缓解了会诊申请量大与医疗资源协调难之间的矛盾,更加适应医患需求。研究不仅形成了有效的远程会诊分诊调度新方法,也为远程医学行业内的平台升级及服务优化提供了新思路。     

Using Acoustics to Determine Eelgrass Bed Distribution and to Assess the Seasonal Variation of Ecosystem Service

Eelgrass beds are an important source of primary production in coastal ecosystems. Understanding seasonal variation in the abundance and distribution of eelgrass is important for conservation, and the objectives of this study were to 1) monitor seasonal variation in eelgrass beds using an acoustic monitoring method (Quantitative echo sounder) and 2) broadly quantify the carbon circulation function. We obtained acoustic data of eelgrass beds in coastal areas north and east of Ikunojima Island. Surveys were conducted nine times over the 3-year period from 2011 to 2013 in order to monitor seasonal variation. Acoustic data were obtained and used to estimate the spatial distribution of eelgrass by geostatistical methods. To determine supporting services, we determined carbon sink and carbon fixation by eelgrass beds using data from the National Research Institute of Fisheries and Environment of Inland Sea (2011). The height and distribution of eelgrass beds were at a maximum in May and at a minimum in November of each year. Distribution trends were different between the north and east areas. Supporting services showed the same patterns throughout the year. The area of distribution was considered to be coincident with the life history of eelgrass. Distribution differed by area and changed yearly due to the effects of bottom characteristics and wind direction. Quantifying the supporting services of eelgrass beds was shown to be useful for managing the conservation of coastal ecosystems.     

Mapping Soil Erosion Prevention Using an Ecosystem Service Modeling Framework for Integrated Land Management and Policy

Current spatially explicit approaches to map and assess ecosystem services are often grounded on unreliable proxy data based on land use/cover to derive ecosystem service indicators. These approaches fail to make a distinction between the actual service provision and the underlying ecosystem capacity to provide the service. We present an integrative conceptual framework to estimate the provision of soil erosion prevention by combining the structural impact of soil erosion and the social–ecological processes that allow for its mitigation. The framework was tested and illustrated in the Portel municipality in Southern Portugal, a Mediterranean silvo-pastoral system that is prone to desertification and soil degradation. The results show a clear difference in the spatial and temporal distribution of the capacity for ecosystem service provision and the actual ecosystem service provision. It also shows that although the average actual ecosystem service provision in the region is sufficient to mitigate the existing structural impact, vulnerable areas can be identified where significant soil losses are not mitigated at present. This becomes more significant when comparing different land management intensities. Considering these results, we argue that the general assumption that there is an almost direct relation between the capacity for ecosystem service provision of a given area and the actual ecosystem service provision is wrong. We also discuss how the framework presented here could be used to support land management and policy, and how it can be adapted for other regulating services.     

Meeting Community Health Worker Needs for Maternal Health Care Service Delivery Using Appropriate Mobile Technologies in Ethiopia

Background

Mobile health applications are complex interventions that essentially require changes to the behavior of health care professionals who will use them and changes to systems or processes in delivery of care. Our aim has been to meet the technical needs of Health Extension Workers (HEWs) and midwives for maternal health using appropriate mobile technologies tools.

Methods

We have developed and evaluated a set of appropriate smartphone health applications using open source components, including a local language adapted data collection tool, health worker and manager user-friendly dashboard analytics and maternal-newborn protocols. This is an eighteen month follow-up of an ongoing observational research study in the northern of Ethiopia involving two districts, twenty HEWs, and twelve midwives.

Results

Most health workers rapidly learned how to use and became comfortable with the touch screen devices so only limited technical support was needed. Unrestricted use of smartphones generated a strong sense of ownership and empowerment among the health workers. Ownership of the phones was a strong motivator for the health workers, who recognised the value and usefulness of the devices, so took care to look after them. A low level of smartphones breakage (8.3%,3 from 36) and loss (2.7%) were reported. Each health worker made an average of 160 mins of voice calls and downloaded 27Mb of data per month, however, we found very low usage of short message service (less than 3 per month).

Conclusions

Although it is too early to show a direct link between mobile technologies and health outcomes, mobile technologies allow health managers to more quickly and reliably have access to data which can help identify where there issues in the service delivery. Achieving a strong sense of ownership and empowerment among health workers is a prerequisite for a successful introduction of any mobile health program.     

Surface Modifications Created by Using Engineered Hydrophobins

Hydrophobins are small (ca. 100 amino acids) secreted fungal proteins that are characterized by the presence of eight conserved cysteine residues and by a typical hydropathy pattern. Class I hydrophobins self-assemble at hydrophilic-hydrophobic interfaces into highly insoluble amphipathic membranes, thereby changing the nature of surfaces. Hydrophobic surfaces become hydrophilic, while hydrophilic surfaces become hydrophobic. To see whether surface properties of assembled hydrophobins can be changed, 25 N-terminal residues of the mature SC3 hydrophobin were deleted (TrSC3). In addition, the cell-binding domain of fibronectin (RGD) was fused to the N terminus of mature SC3 (RGD-SC3) and TrSC3 (RGD-TrSC3). Self-assembly and surface activity were not affected by these modifications. However, physiochemical properties at the hydrophilic side of the assembled hydrophobin did change. This was demonstrated by a change in wettability and by enhanced growth of fibroblasts on Teflon-coated with RGD-SC3, TrSC3, or RGD-TrSC3 compared to bare Teflon or Teflon coated with SC3. Thus, engineered hydrophobins can be used to functionalize surfaces.     

Characterizing Cell Adhesion by Using Micropipette Aspiration

We have developed a technique to directly quantify cell-substrate adhesion force using micropipette aspiration. The micropipette is positioned perpendicular to the surface of an adherent cell and a constant-rate aspiration pressure is applied. Since the micropipette diameter and the aspiration pressure are our control parameters, we have direct knowledge of the aspiration force, whereas the cell behavior is monitored either in brightfield or interference reflection microscopy. This setup thus allows us to explore a range of geometric parameters, such as projected cell area, adhesion area, or pipette size, as well as dynamical parameters such as the loading rate. We find that cell detachment is a well-defined event occurring at a critical aspiration pressure, and that the detachment force scales with the cell adhesion area (for a given micropipette diameter and loading rate), which defines a critical stress. Taking into account the cell adhesion area, intrinsic parameters of the adhesion bonds, and the loading rate, a minimal model provides an expression for the critical stress that helps rationalize our experimental results.     

Correction of Eye-estimation by Using Shrunken Predictors

The eye-estimation method is widely used in practice. Several agronomic and biological measures are currently estimated by this method. If a simple linear regression is the kernel model a shrinkage technique can be used for correcting the bias associated with this method. Two predictors of the population total are proposed and the corresponding model-based errors are deduced. A simulation study fixes the behaviour of the predictors.     

采用高分子介导精子作载体制备转基因泥鳅

为探讨树形高分子介导精子载体技术产生转基因动物,将泥鳅精子与具有标记基因LacZ的pCH110重组质粒和树形高分子在保存液内孵育,经DNA原位杂交检测发现树形高分子介导下精子携事外源DNA的效率得到较大的提高,将捕获了外源DNA的精子,再与泥鳅卵进行体外人工受精。由此发育的鱼苗经PCR和LacZ组织化学检测,获得了高比例的转基因泥鳅,外源基因LacZ在泥鳅幼苗头部得到了明显表达。     

Protein-Folding Analysis Using Features Obtained by Persistent Homology

Understanding the protein-folding process is an outstanding issue in biophysics; recent developments in molecular dynamics simulation have provided insights into this phenomenon. However, the large freedom of atomic motion hinders the understanding of this process. In this study, we applied persistent homology, an emerging method to analyze topological features in a data set, to reveal protein-folding dynamics. We developed a new, to our knowledge, method to characterize the protein structure based on persistent homology and applied this method to molecular dynamics simulations of chignolin. Using principle component analysis or nonnegative matrix factorization, our analysis method revealed two stable states and one saddle state, corresponding to the native, misfolded, and transition states, respectively. We also identified an unfolded state with slow dynamics in the reduced space. Our method serves as a promising tool to understand the protein-folding process.     

应用PCR—SSCP快速鉴定结构分枝杆菌复合群

通过聚合酶链反应（ＰＣＲ）－单链的权象多态性（ＳＳＣＰ）技术分析结构分枝杆菌和非结构分枝杆菌临床株的１６Ｓ ｒＤＮＡ基因。６０例临床标本中,２０例为阳性,与传统方法比较无差异。其中分型：１８例为结核支杆菌,２例为结核分枝杆菌和非结核分枝杆菌双重感染。２０例阴性标本中,ＰＣＲ－ＳＳＣＰ又检查出５例阳性。２０例对照标本中,３种传统方法与ＰＣＲ－ＳＳＣＰ法均检测为阴性。全部试验３ｄ执行结果。结核分枝杆菌     

应用PCR-SSCP快速鉴定结核分枝杆菌复合群

通过聚合酶链反应（ＰＣＲ）－单链构象多态性（ＳＳＣＰ）技术分析结核分枝杆菌和非结核分枝杆菌临床株的１６ＳｒＤＮＡ基因。６０例临床标本中,２０例为阳性,与传统方法比较无差异。其中分型：１８例为结核分枝杆菌,２例为结核分枝杆菌和非结核分枝杆菌双重感染。２０例阴性标本中,ＰＣＲ－ＳＳＣＰ又检查出５例阳性。２０例对照标本中,３种传统方法与ＰＣＲ－ＳＳＣＰ法均检测为阴性。全部试验３ｄ报告结果。结核分枝杆菌复合群和卡介苗的图形相同以外,其它分枝杆菌的ＰＣＲ－ＳＳＣＰ电泳图谱均有差异。所以,应用ＰＣＲ－ＳＳＣＰ技术快速