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Hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are considered to be the most promising third-generation photovoltaic (PV) technology with the most rapid rate of increase in the power conversion efficiency (PCE). To date, their PCE values are comparable to the established photovoltaic technologies such as crystalline silicon. Intensive research activities associated with PSCs have been being performed, since 2009, aiming to further boost the device performance in terms of efficiency and stability via different strategies in order to accelerate the progress of commercialization. The emerging 2D black phosphorus (BP) is a novel class of semiconducting material owing to its unique characteristics, allowing them to become attractive materials for applications in a variety of optical and electronic devices, which have been comprehensively reviewed in the literature. However, comprehensive reviews focusing on the application of BP in PSCs are scarce in the community. This review discusses the research works with the incorporation of BP as a functional material in PSCs. The methodology as well as the effects of employing BP in different regions of PSCs are summarized. Further challenges and potential research directions are also highlighted.

Lake Michigan rose to record high water levels in the 2010s; during this time, some coastal sites experienced habitat loss rates an order of magnitude higher than during previous high water periods throughout the 20th century. The high magnitude and rapid rate of rise observed during the 2012–2020 period in combination with a slight increase in the percentage of storm waves likely accelerated habitat loss rates beyond levels that were observed over the past century. Our data suggest that rapid and relatively large changes from low water levels to high water levels are the main driver of large erosional losses, as the coastal system shifts abruptly from one water-level regime to another. One likely impact of climate change on Great Lakes’ water level is an increase in the variability of fluctuations, thus more scenarios of abrupt and rapid water-level rise and associated habitat loss are expected in the future. We propose that the unprecedented habitat loss observed during the 2012–2020 timeframe will become the new normal in the coming century as enhanced variability in water levels facilitates sustained coastal land loss.

International audience; Sex categorization is essential for mate choice and social interactions in many animal species. In humans, sex categorization is readily performed from the face. However, clear neural markers of face-sex categorization, i.e., common responses to widely variable individuals from one sex, have not been identified so far in humans. To isolate a direct signature of rapid and automatic face-sex categorization generalized across a wide range of variable exemplars, we recorded scalp electroencephalogram (EEG) from 32 participants (16 females) while they were exposed to variable natural face images from one sex alternating at a rapid rate of 6 Hz (i.e., 6 images per second). Images from the other sex were inserted every 6th stimulus (i.e., at a 1-Hz rate). A robust categorization response to both sex contrasts emerged at 1 Hz and harmonics in the EEG frequency spectrum over the occipito-temporal cortex of most participants. The response was larger for female faces presented among male faces than the reverse, suggesting that the two sex categories are not equally homogenous. This asymmetrical response pattern disappeared for upside-down faces, ruling out the contribution of low-level physical variability across images. Overall, these observations demonstrate that sex categorization occurs automatically after a single glance at natural face images and can be objectively isolated and quantified in the human brain within a few minutes.

The demand for optical components such as microlenses has been growing at a rapid rate in recent years. While conventional methods for manufacturing these components are well known, they are often time-consuming, detrimental for the environment and unable to keep up with the increasing demand. To overcome these issues, the technique of three-dimensional (3D) inkjet printing has attracted much attention. The aim of this review was to investigate the 3D inkjet printing process as a technique for the fabrication of microlenses and identify the key components and methodologies which can be used to control the properties of the resultant microlenses. 3D Inkjet printing was identified as a viable alternative for the production of microlenses owing to its high flexibility, scalability and efficiency as well as its ability to produce good quality products. Substrate modification was shown as a key method by which the geometric and optical properties of microlenses can be controlled. Organic materials such as acrylates and epoxies, and hybrid materials such as siloxanes were shown to be the most common base materials in photo-crosslinkable inkjet formulations and the effects of incorporation of organic compounds and inorganic nanoparticles on the material refractive index were studied.

During the last 6 months of life, 75% of older adults with preexisting serious illness, such as advanced heart failure, lung disease, and cancer, visit the emergency department (ED). ED visits often mark an inflection point in these patients' illness trajectories, signaling a more rapid rate of decline. Although most patients are there seeking care for acute issues, many of them have priorities other than to simply live as long as possible; yet without discussion of preferences for treatment, they are at risk of receiving care not aligned with their goals. An ED visit may offer a unique "teachable moment" to empower patients to consider their ability to influence future medical care decisions. However, the constraints of the ED setting pose specific challenges, and little research exists to guide clinicians treating patients in this setting. We describe the current state of goals-of-care conversations in the ED, outline the challenges to conducting these conversations, and recommend a research agenda to better equip emergency physicians to guide shared decisionmaking for end-of-life care. Applying best practices for serious illness communication may help emergency physicians empower such patients to align their future medical care with their values and goals.

The drying of lignite is a very significant topic due to its high economic value. However, fragmentation and pulverization of lignite during drying are also important factors because they affect the operation of the dryer. The aim of this study was to analyze the drying behavior of single lignite particle, as well as the development of both surface and internal cracks by image processing and micro-CT scanning. The results showed that the drying curve of single lignite particle can be divided into three stages, namely, a rapid drying stage (I), a transitional drying stage (II) and a drying equilibrium stage (III). The surface cracking rate increases with increasing drying temperature, and the number of surface cracks increases at the same time. Crack rate (CR) increases continuously in rapid drying stage (I) and transitional drying stage (II) when the drying temperature is 80 °C. For higher drying temperature (110, 140, and 170 °C), CR increases continuously in the rapid drying stage (I) and reaches the maximum near the end of the rapid drying stage (I). CR changes more smoothly in the transitional drying stage (II), and decreases slightly at the end of this stage. A small number of cracks appear near the surface at the beginning of drying. As the drying proceeds, the number of internal cracks increases and cracks develop towards the core. The crushing strength (CS) of single lignite particle, based on the definition in this paper, shows no clear dependence on drying temperature. The drying temperature might affect the moisture content in the sample, thus affecting the CS. Fragmentation is more likely to occur at high temperatures due to the rapid rate of water removal.

A key aspect of medical, public health, and diagnostic microbiology laboratories is the accurate identification and rapid reporting and communication to medical staff regarding patients with infectious agents of clinical importance. Microbial taxonomy continues to change at a very rapid rate in the era of molecular diagnostics including whole genome sequencing. This update focuses on taxonomic changes and proposals that may be of medical importance for years 2017 and 2018.

We are experiencing the birth pangs of a new era in the lives of the Homos sapiens: how AI, robotics, and automation is changing industry dynamics, socio-economic fundamentals, and what it means to compete. The central lesson we derive in this paper is that a rapid rate of progress or too much connectivity comes at a price one may not always want to pay or even know how to manage.

With enormous development of digital technology, data is being generated at rapid rate with various areas of application domains. Data has to be extracted or filtered to find useful information. A basic concept for these analysis tasks and applications are the distance measures to effectively determine how similar two objects are. In this paper, a novel distance measure for microarray dataset is proposed. The bench mark algorithm k-medoids is used for clustering task. The results obtained from the proposed distance measure are compared with other standard distance measures like Manhattan, Euclidean distance measure using Central Nervous System microarray dataset and Prostate Cancer dataset. Dunn Index is used to analyze the cluster validation of the results obtained from the distance measure.

This paper considers the consensus problem for multiple delta operator systems. The delta operator system is used for describing continuous time processes at rapid rate sampling. Moreover, it has been known to have a better model description than that of shift-operator-based approach. In this work, the consensus problem is first solved for multiple delta operator systems by using a distributed protocol. To achieve consensus, several important sufficient conditions are proposed for the fast sampling systems based on the parameters of sampling period and consensus strength. In addition, two distributed consensus protocols are constructed for both leaderless multiple delta operator systems and leader–follower multiple delta operator systems. Finally, the effectiveness of the theoretical analysis is illustrated by applying distributed consensus protocol to multi-agent systems.

French Abstract: Le Cameroun rencontre des preoccupations securitaires au NOSO, au Septentrion, et a l’Est ; et la chute drastique des revenus petroliers, le prix actuel etant au-dessous de 13 dollars, soit moins de 15% des previsions faites par le Gouvernement, a 54 dollars le baril. A ceci, il faut ajouter la recession economique, avec des recurrentes plaintes des operateurs economiques relativement a la pression fiscale galopante et le tarissement des recettes fiscales et douanieres, du en partie aux accords de partenariat economique avec l’Union Europeenne. Avant ce qui se voit maintenant, il y a d’importantes depenses liees aux infrastructures de la CHAN et de la CAN et d’importantes depenses pour les equipements securitaires, associe d’un lourd endettement bilateral et multilateral et un systeme de sante precaire avec l’annulation de 2 fetes nationales : du Travail, et de l’Unite, pour cause de pandemie. Au niveau international, il y a la chute de la croissance mondiale, et des principales places boursieres, en raison de la stagnation, et des arrets d’usines lies a la progression du coronavirus qui affecte profondement et durablement les nations occidentales. Il faut ajouter des milliers de morts de coronavirus, qui se propage a une vive allure dans le monde ; d’abord la Chine, l’Europe, l’Amerique du Nord, la Russie et l’Afrique sont touchees. Quelques mesures sont en train d’etre prises afin de reduire les consequences du COVID 19 sur le pays. Cet article est une tentative visant a montrer ce qui pourrait etre fait maintenant afin de reduire les consequences negatives dans le futur. English Abstract: Cameroon encounters security concerns at the North West and South West Regions of the country, and in the East; and the drastic fall in oil revenues with the current price being below $ 13, or less than 15% of forecasts made by the Government, at $ 54 per barrel. To this must be added the economic recession, with recurrent complaints from economic operators regarding the galloping tax pressure and the drying up of tax and customs revenue, due in part to economic partnership agreements with the European Union. Before what can be seen now, there are significant expenditures related to the Football African Cup of Nations (CHAN) and the CAN infrastructure and significant expenditures on security equipment, associated with heavy bilateral and multilateral debt and a precarious health system with the cancellation of 2 national public and national events: Labor day (May 1st) and the Unity day (May 20th), due to the COVID 19 pandemic. Internationally, there is the fall in world growth, and in the main stock markets, due to stagnation, and plant shutdowns linked to the progression of the Coronavirus which deeply and durably affects Western nations. We must add to the above, thousands of deaths from Coronavirus, which is spreading at a rapid rate worldwide; first China, Europe, North America, Russia and Africa are affected. Some cosmetic measures are taken to curb the pandemic. With which results and for how long? This paper is an attempt to present some challenges ahead that Cameroon as a country will experience and what can be done now to minimise the negative consequences of the COVID 19.

French Abstract: Le Cameroun rencontre des preoccupations securitaires au NOSO, au Septentrion, et a l’Est ; et la chute drastique des revenus petroliers, le prix actuel etant au-dessous de 13 dollars, soit moins de 15% des previsions faites par le Gouvernement, a 54 dollars le baril. A ceci, il faut ajouter la recession economique, avec des recurrentes plaintes des operateurs economiques relativement a la pression fiscale galopante et le tarissement des recettes fiscales et douanieres, du en partie aux accords de partenariat economique avec l’Union Europeenne. Avant ce qui se voit maintenant, il y a d’importantes depenses liees aux infrastructures de la CHAN et de la CAN et d’importantes depenses pour les equipements securitaires, associe d’un lourd endettement bilateral et multilateral et un systeme de sante precaire avec l’annulation de 2 fetes nationales : du Travail, et de l’Unite, pour cause de pandemie. Au niveau international, il y a la chute de la croissance mondiale, et des principales places boursieres, en raison de la stagnation, et des arrets d’usines lies a la progression du coronavirus qui affecte profondement et durablement les nations occidentales. Il faut ajouter des milliers de morts de coronavirus, qui se propage a une vive allure dans le monde ; d’abord la Chine, l’Europe, l’Amerique du Nord, la Russie et l’Afrique sont touchees. Cet article est une tentative montrant ce que le gouvernement Camerounais afin de reduire l’impact de la pandemie. English Abstract: Cameroon encounters security concerns at the North West and South West Regions of the country, and in the East; and the drastic fall in oil revenues with the current price being below $ 13, or less than 15% of forecasts made by the Government, at $ 54 per barrel. To this must be added the economic recession, with recurrent complaints from economic operators regarding the galloping tax pressure and the drying up of tax and customs revenue, due in part to economic partnership agreements with the European Union. Before what can be seen now, there are significant expenditures related to the Football African Cup of Nations (CHAN) and the CAN infrastructure and significant expenditures on security equipment, associated with heavy bilateral and multilateral debt and a precarious health system with the cancellation of 2 national public and national events: Labor day (May 1st) and the Unity day (May 20th), due to the COVID 19 pandemic. Internationally, there is the fall in world growth, and in the main stock markets, due to stagnation, and plant shutdowns linked to the progression of the Coronavirus which deeply and durably affects Western nations. We must add to the above, thousands of deaths from Coronavirus, which is spreading at a rapid rate worldwide; first China, Europe, North America, Russia and Africa are affected. This paper is an attempt to present what the Cameroonian authorities are doing to curve the virus.

Incremental forming (IF) is a novel sheet material forming technique, which has the ability to eliminate the need for die sets. The IF method forms sheet material by use of a non-cutting tool, which gradually deforms the sheet material into the desired shape. In the following works, this research proposes a range of novel tool geometries that allows forming of the sheet material in multiple directions at a rapid rate, allowing for greater formability, improved surface finish, and reduced springback. Additionally, several tool features are proposed which achieve this forming motion. Part 1 of this research describes the design of the tooling, as well as variations that are possible with the tool's geometry. In part 2 of this research, the proposed forming method is validated.

Petroleum fuels are being used at a rapid rate and there is a need for renewable alternative fuels. Biodiesel (mainly a mixture of fatty acid alkyl esters FAAE’s) is a potential alternative to petro-diesel. Combustion modeling of biodiesel requires vapor pressure data. The experimental determination of vapor pressure of FAAE’s is difficult, therefore the estimation of vapor pressure of FAAE becomes important. In this study, various methods based on group contribution, equation of state (PR EOS) and correlations based were used to estimate the vapor pressure of nine FAME in the carbon chain range of C6 to C18 and four FAEE in the carbon chain range of C8–C13. The FAME’s and FAEE’s chosen for this study are the main constituents of real world biodiesels. These methods were compared on the basis of their ability to estimate the vapor pressure of FAAE’s with accuracy and simplicity in the application of the method. Other than the methods which are already available in literature, two new methods, Othmer and Yu and Peng Robinson equation of state (PR EOS) at zero pressure were used in this study. For FAME’s total 244 vapor pressure data points in the temperature range of 306–512 K were used where as for FAEE total 55 data points in the temperature range of 273–462 K were used. Amongst compound specific methods, Yuan and Othmer and Yu gave good prediction for both FAME’s and FAEE’s. For FAME’s the % OARD for Yuan method was 4.83 and for Othmer and Yu it was 2.56. For FAEE’s Yuan gave % OARD of 1.30, while Othmer and Yu gave % OARD of 2.85. Amongst generalized methods Ceriani, PR EOS and Othmer and Yu gave good estimation of vapor pressure for FAME’s with least % OARD of 7.64 for Othmer and Yu. But, for FAEE’s except Othmer and Yu (% OARD 19.19) all other methods gave very high deviation. In the present study strengths, weaknesses and applicability of selected methods have been highlighted.

Dehumanization has been a lively focus of social psychology research for the past decade and a half, and novel theoretical and empirical contributions have appeared at a rapid rate. The present review updates earlier overviews by calling attention to key developments over the past two years. The review indicates that researchers have broken new ground in recognizing the range of targets of dehumanization, the diversity of factors that contribute to it, the effects that it accounts for, and the implications and consequences that it has for intergroup relations. Theorists have also enhanced our understanding of how dehumanization phenomena can be conceptualized, assessed, and evaluated. These advances highlight the central but previously unacknowledged role that denials of humanness play in intergroup phenomena.

Preparation for robotic colorectal surgery is more complicated than open and laparoscopy approaches. The colorectal surgeon interested in robotic training should be familiar with and well prepared for robotic draping, positioning of the operating table, the patient cart, the vision cart, the surgeon console, and other operating equipment. Port placement requires more strategy than for the laparoscopic platform and differs depending on the type of robotic system utilized. Anesthesia personnel should be prepared for potential airway issues related to operating table and patient positioning. Robotic technology is complex and, though the system checks itself at an enormously rapid rate, there is a low incidence of robotic malfunction. All operating room personnel should be familiar with these malfunctions and how to resolve them.

Variance analysis of postsynaptic current amplitudes suggests the presence of distinct docking sites (also called release sites) where vesicles pause before exocytosis. Docked vesicles participate in the readily releasable pool (RRP), but the relation between docking site number and RRP size remains unclear. It is also unclear whether all vesicles of the RRP are equally release competent, and what cellular mechanisms underlie RRP renewal. We address here these questions at single glutamatergic synapses, counting released vesicles using deconvolution. We find a remarkably low variance of cumulative vesicle counts during action potential trains. This, combined with Monte Carlo simulations, indicates that vesicles transit through two successive states before exocytosis, so that the RRP is up to 2-fold higher than the docking site number. The transition to the second state has a very rapid rate constant, and is specifically inhibited by latrunculin B and blebbistatin, suggesting the involvement of actin and myosin.

Due to an incomplete fossil record, little is known about lamniform shark life history from the Early Cretaceous of North America. Recent discoveries have shown that during this time, some lamniformes reached gigantic sizes (>6–8 m in total length) not seen in earlier species. Given the importance of life history to understand how organisms reach such sizes, we conducted an ontogenetic analysis on three very large shark vertebrae, representing a single individual from the Lower Cretaceous (Albian) Duck Creek Formation of Texas. Using three different techniques (computed tomography, histological sectioning, and surface texture analysis), we were able to show that this individual was born at a relatively small size and subsequently grew at rapid rate, achieving a total length of over 6.3 m in approximately 18 years; a rate not observed in any other Cretaceous species. Comparison of the different aging techniques yielded complementary results; however, surface texture analysis produced the most complete ontogenetic record for this specimen. More work is needed to determine broad patterns in the life history evolution of giant Early Cretaceous lamniform sharks.

Many primary immunodeficiencies (PIDs) manifest in the neonatal period but can be challenging to diagnose and manage optimally. In part, the difficulty stems from the natural immaturity of the neonatal immune system that may mask immune deficits and/or complicate interpretation of clinical findings and laboratory assays. The great diversity of PIDs--from innate immune system defects to those that impact the humoral and/or cellular components of the adaptive immune system--and the rapid rate at which new PIDs are being discovered makes it challenging for practitioners to stay current. Moreover, recent appreciation for immune deficiencies that lead to autoinflammation and autoimmunity have broadened the spectrum of neonatal PID, adding additional complexity to an already intricate field. This article serves to highlight the deficiencies in the neonatal immune system, while providing a review of the more common PIDs that present in the neonate and guidelines for diagnosis and supportive care.

A key aspect of medical, public health, and diagnostic microbiology laboratories is the accurate identification and rapid reporting and communication to medical staff regarding patients with infectious agents of clinical importance. Microbial taxonomy continues to change at a very rapid rate in the era of molecular diagnostics including whole genome sequencing. This update focuses on taxonomic changes and proposals that may be of medical importance from 2018 to 2020.

Fingermarks and DNA are valuable traces in forensic investigations potentially allowing for the identification of the source of the trace or highlighting a link between a touched object and an individual. These traces are often latent and need to be detected before recovery. While a number of validated methods exist for fingermark detection, no routine method is in place for the detection of DNA. This study investigates the use of pdimethylaminobenzaldehyde (DMAB) in conjunction with indanedione zinc (IND-Zn) for the detection of latent cellular material and fingermarks on paper. The aim of this proof-of-concept study is to determine the successfulness of this reagent (DMAB-IND) in the detection of the respective traces and observe the impact it has on the resulting DNA profile. It was found that latent fingermarks and the associated cells could be visualised following treatment with the reagent. Samples treated with DMAB-IND showed a significantly higher percentage of alleles called compared to IND-Zn-treated and untreated samples due to the targeted recovery of cells. However, the reagent appears to degrade DNA at a rapid rate, requiring the treated samples to be processed for DNA on the day of treatment.

The healthcare environment is constantly evolving, and with economic pressures to reduce costs, it is changing at a rapid rate. The Army War College depicts this environment as volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous. 1 Strategic nurse leaders must be able to embrace the rapidly changing environment, be visionary, innovative, adaptive, and learn effective and efficient strategies to minimize risk and maximize opportunities. The Institute of Medicine's Future of Nursing 2010 reported the need for strong transformational nurse leaders across the country who will lead system-wide campaigns of healthcare transformation. 2

Surface fault rupture has caused significant damage to structures in several earthquakes. The propagation of the bedrock fault rupture through the overlying soil deposit has been studied by several researchers; however, the effects of fault rupture dynamics, as opposed to pseudostatic fault movement, have not yet been evaluated. There is the potential for dynamic effects to influence significantly structural damage due to the rapid rate of deformation imposed by surface fault rupture. Numerical simulations are performed to analyze the effects of the rate of fault rupture on dip-slip surface fault rupture for free-field and soil-structure interaction conditions. The numerical results indicate that in some limited scenarios, fault rupture dynamics can influence the amount of structural damage expected for a structure located near a fault. However, in most scenarios, fault rupture dynamics is expected to play a secondary role compared to fault, soil, and structural characteristics in evaluating building performance.

Display Omitted We proposed a new annealing method to coarsen Cu grains in very narrow trenches.We identified the best annealing pattern using the phase field simulation method.The best conditions achieved a 98% increase in the diameter of the Cu grains.A preliminary experiment confirmed the effectiveness of the new annealing method. We developed a new annealing method, periodic annealing, to effectively coarsen Cu grains in very narrow trenches. In the periodic annealing method, the temperature of the specimen is elevated at a rapid rate to a target temperature and the temperature is oscillated at a certain periodicity. We identified the best oscillation conditions for the system temperature using the phase field simulation method. The best conditions achieved a 98% increase in the grain diameter of the Cu trench model. A preliminary experiment using an actual 70nm width wire showed about a 10% increase in the grain diameter, confirming the effectiveness of the periodic annealing method to coarsen Cu grains in very narrow trenches.

Advanced science and technology based on graphene-based nanomaterials is experiencing a rapid rate of change in the performance capabilities to substitute or serve as alternative approaches for the existing technologies. In the context of water treatment, more particularly in field of desalination, significant numbers of breakthroughs have been achieved to drive accelerated change for ceaseless capability improvements. In this contribution, the unique features of graphene-based nanomaterials that have generated tremendous interest among the material researchers are described along with their potential applications in desalination. Another aim of this paper is to provide comprehensive scientific progress of these nanomaterials in order to explore the challenges and opportunities of graphene-based nanomaterials in advancing current desalination technology. Finally, a future prospective on how this rapidly emerging field may evolve from short to medium and long term is highlighted and the outlooks regarding the technological challenges, economical implication and toxicological impact of graphene-based nanomaterials on the environment are briefly discussed. As this novel carbon nanostructured material will certainly offer exciting and tunable features for desalination technology, it is anticipated that by grabbing the approaching opportunities and tackling the encountered challenges, these astonishing materials could very well make clean water more accessible around the globe.

Firmness of kiwifruit ( Actinidia deliciosa (A. Chev) C.F. Liang et A.R. Ferguson cv. Hayward) is an important determinant of quality. Batches of fruit vary not only in firmness at time of harvest but also in time to reach eating ripeness (0.5–1.0 kg f ). Failure to identify batches with rapid rate of firmness breakdown results in economic loss to the industry. Understanding variability in softening rate and its relation with at-harvest measures may lead to opportunities for industry to segregate batches for storage potential. The objective of this paper was to model batch-specific softening behaviour of kiwifruit and investigate if predictive models could be determined from at-harvest maturity measures. Data for ‘Hayward’ kiwifruit softening at 20 °C were collected over 21 d for 108 batches across two seasons (2011 and 2012). In model creation, application of both Complementary Gompertz (CG) equation and a time shift (TSCG) alternative version resulted in a mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.11–1.55 kg f and 0.14–1.44 kg f respectively for 54 batches. Model parameters were fitted using a non-linear mixed effects procedure. The resulting batch-dependent softening description parameters ( B , κ and τ ) were best associated with at-harvest firmness and the SSC:firmness ratio. For prediction validation, at-harvest quality indicators of an alternative set of 54 batches were used to predict softening descriptive model parameters and subsequent batch-dependent softening behaviour at 20 °C. When B and κ were predicted from firmness and the SSC:firmness ratio respectively in the validation batches, MAE of firmness prediction by CG ranged from 0.17 to 2.75 kg f with 46% of the batches having MAE of less than 0.5 kg f . Likewise, when τ was predicted from firmness, MAE of firmness prediction by TSCG ranged from 0.17 to 2.78 kg f and approximately 30% of batches had MAE less than 0.5 kg f . This paper demonstrates the potential for predicting softening variability of kiwifruit batches from at-harvest fruit maturity measures. Future work is required to ascertain if a similar modelling protocol may enable prediction of kiwifruit softening at commercial storage conditions (0 °C).

This article revisits an analysis by Frondel et al. (2008) on the promotion of photovoltaics (PV) in Germany, a technology that enjoys particularly high subsidies in the form of feed-in tariffs. The result is explosive costs with little to show for either environmental or employment benefits. Indeed, we document that the immense costs foreseen by Frondel and colleagues have materialized: our updated estimate of the subsidies for PV, at € 108 Bn, even exceeds their expectations. Moreover, with installed PV capacities growing at a rapid rate, these costs will continue to accumulate, diverting resources from more cost-effective climate protection instruments.

Neonatology and informatics are relatively new subspecialties to the health field; however both have made rapid developments over a considerably short period of time. Significant improvements have been made to the care of neonates resulting in a rapid rate of survival of sick and premature neonates. Along with improvements in care there has been the development of technology and with it the field of informatics. This paper offers a review of the development of nursing informatics and its application in changing practice in a tertiary neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

The complexity of hepatobiliary procedures continues to evolve at a rapid rate, with an increasing number of living donor liver transplants and extensive cancer resections being performed. The associated complications are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, and are often complex injuries, involving both vascular and biliary structures. In this paper we describe the complications associated with laparoscopic cholecystectomy, liver transplant surgery, and hepatic resection. Focus is on the classical imaging appearances, imaging modality options, and varying management strategies for these injuries, to show how the radiologist's role is vital in ensuring the correct diagnosis is made and the appropriate treatment is instigated.

Bonding has transformed the tedium of appliance construction into an efficient and pleasant operation for both patient and clinician. The bonding procedure requires debonding at the termination of treatment. The objectives of debonding are to remove the attachments and all adhesive resin from tooth and to restore the surface as closely as possible to its pretreatment condition. To achieve these objectives correct bonding and debonding are of fundamental importance. The introduction of the acid etch bonding technique has led to dramatic changes in the practice of orthodontics. The increased adhesion produced by acid pretreatment, using 85% phosphoric acid, was demonstrated in 1955 by Buonocore. 1 In 1965, with the advent of epoxy resin bonding, Newman 2 began to apply these findings to direct bonding orthodontic attachments. The future of bonding is promising, product development in terms of adhesives, brackets, devices and technical details is continually occurring at a rapid rate. The purpose of this review article is to update the current available information on direct bonding to natural and artificial teeth.

The argument that nursing curricula have not adequately prepared graduates to provide appropriate care for individuals with intellectual disabilities and developmental disabilities (DDs) has been put forward for a decade or more. This is of concern because the number of individuals with DDs has been increasing at a rapid rate. Undergraduate and graduate nursing curricula should address concepts of care for DDs across the lifespan and develop strategies to provide students with clinically relevant experiences to support development of competencies for care of this population. Exemplar strategies from the literature are described along with recommendations for further work.

During the past two decades, in particular the past decade, there has been a rapid rate of development of hydropower in China. It is foreseeable that the same rate of development will be maintained in the next decade. The total installed generation capacity of hydropower in China has now surpassed 200 GW and ranks first in the world. The unprecedented rate of expansion, development scale, emergence of large number of hydro plants with high head and huge capacity, and electric power transmission have led to significant changes in management and operation of large-scale hydropower systems which have become one of the significant factors in constraining the security and economic operation of power grid in China. This article gives an overview of the China's hydropower, analyses the new challenges that it faces, highlights the key scientific and technological issues that need to be solved, and pinpoints that the solution of these problems will be the key to the realization of energy saving and emission reduction by China in 2020.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short non-coding RNA molecules that are approximately 22 nucleotides in length. In the last 10 years, miRNA research and discovery has advanced at a rapid rate. This review provides a brief overview of the discovery and biology of miRNAs, and summarises some of the experimental techniques used for isolation, detection, target prediction, and regulation of miRNAs. We also outline experimental workflows for investigators new to the field, and discuss the diagnostic and therapeutic application of miRNAs.

Our paper focuses on the role that the gender composition of the leaders of American colleges and universities - trustees, presidents, and provosts - play in influencing the rate at which academic institutions diversify their faculty across gender lines. Our analyses make use of institutional level panel data that we have collected for a large sample of American academic institutions. We find that other factors held constant, including our estimate of the “expected” share of new hires that should be female, that institutions with female presidents and provosts, as well as those with a greater share of female trustees, increase their share of female faculty at a more rapid rate. The magnitudes of the effects of these leaders are larger at smaller institutions, where central administrators typically play a larger role in faculty hiring decisions. A critical share of female trustees must be reached before the gender composition of the board matters.

Abstract In 2009, regular labour migration from Cambodia to Malaysia grew at a rapid rate. As the result of a ban imposed by Indonesia, Cambodia’s private sector responded by immediately recruiting to fill the void. The number of women recruited, trained and sent to Malaysia was too high for the Cambodian Government to keep track of and by 2010 reports of underage recruitment, debt bondage and abuse in training centres were growing. Unable to control the recruitment agencies and with growing numbers of reports of abuse in Malaysia, Cambodia banned the sending of domestic workers to Malaysia in 2011. Since this ban, the government has been working to strengthen the system of labour migration management. The changes under way do little, however, to address the specific problems that existed before the ban. In addition, in developing initiatives that are restricted to the establishment of an agreement with Malaysia, increasing regulation and improving conditions in training centres, Cambodia is missing an opportunity to establish a comprehensive and self-sustainable system of protection, welfare and support for migrant workers. Cambodia has a unique opportunity to set up enduring systems that can regulate recruiters and protect migrants as the sector expands to other countries and other industries. In not taking full advantage of this opportunity, there is a real chance that this ban will not be the last.

While the delivery of anaesthesia care is largely a safe process and adverse events are infrequent, they can have devastating consequences for patients and providers when they occur. Given concerns about the role of anaesthesia care in shaping long-term outcomes traditionally considered outside the scope of anaesthesiology, new avenues for perioperative research are being explored at a rapid rate by anaesthesia researchers. We propose that new research methodologies such as perioperative effectiveness research could shed useful insight into processes leading to improved clinical care if applied appropriately and optimally. In this article, we outline the basic concepts of perioperative outcomes and effectiveness research. We highlight many sources of data, both clinical and non-clinical, and evaluate their utility in perioperative research. We then discuss how to design a successful effectiveness study, focussing particularly on which questions in anaesthesiology would be most amenable to exploration with this method, thereby providing a guide for future research endeavours.

The effect of the microbiological inocula to efficiently decompose animal manures into mature compost was studied. In general, TOC, water contents and C/N ratio decreased during decomposition in two composts and those properties dropped faster in the microbiological inocula compost than the natural compost. The total nitrogen content and NO 3 − –N behaved in the opposite manner and those properties increased faster in the microbiological inocula compost than the natural compost. The pH and NH 4 + –N increased first, and then decreased in two composts. The microbiological inocula showed a more rapid rate of temperature elevation at the start of composting and prolonged the time of high-temperature process. The microbiological inocula were able to facilitate the microbial diversity of the compost. Based on germination assays, the microbiological inocula seems to be advantageous in reducing the maturation time of cow manure compost.

Assisted jumping may be useful in training higher concentric movement speed in jumping, thereby potentially increasing the jumping abilities of athletes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of assisted jump training on counter-movement vertical jump (CMVJ) and spike jump (SPJ) ability in a group of elite male volleyball players. Seven junior national team volleyball players (18.0±1.0 yrs, 200.4±6.7 cm, and 84.0±7.2 kg) participated in this within-subjects cross-over counter-balanced training study. Assisted training involved 3 sessions per week of CMVJ training with 10 kg of assistance, applied through use of a bungee system, whilst normal jump training involved equated volume of unassisted counter-movement vertical jumps. Training periods were 5 weeks duration, with a 3-week wash-out separating them. Prior to and at the conclusion of each training period jump testing for CMVJ and SPJ height was conducted. Assisted jump training resulted in gains of 2.7±0.7 cm (p

Severe aortic stenosis (AS) is the most frequent form of valvular heart disease in Western countries, and symptomatic AS has become an increasing health problem for their growing elderly populations. The lethality of symptomatic AS has been recognized for decades; it has a high and rapid rate of

A number of new diagnostic screening tools have been developed for the assessment of acute and chronic diseases of the thoracic aorta. Although standardized blood-based tests capable of detecting individuals at risk for aortic aneurysm and dissection disease are not yet available, our current knowledge is expanding at a rapid rate and the future is very promising. In this review, an update of the contemporary knowledge on blood tests for detecting thoracic aortic diseases in both preclinical and clinical settings is provided, offering the potential to predict adverse aortic events, such as enlargement, rupture, and dissection.

SummaryMany molecules that could manipulate cellular function are not practical due to their large size and concomitant undesirable pharmocokinetic properties. Here, we describe a bioorthogonal, highly stable boronate ester (HiSBE) synthesis and use this reaction to synthesize a biologically active molecule from smaller precursors in a physiological context. The rapid rate of HiSBE synthesis suggests that it may be useful for assembling a wide variety of biologically active molecules in physiological solutions.

cited By 7; To measure the long term retention and seasonal dynamics of an initial 4 kg addition of 133Cs into an 11.4-ha, 157,000 m3 reservoir (Pond 4, near Aiken, South Carolina, USA), the concentrations and inventories of 133Cs in the water column were measured at periodical intervals for 522 days following the 1 August, 1999 release. After rapid declines in concentrations and inventories during the first 90 days, the 133Cs concentrations in the water column declined at an average proportional rate of 0.004 d-1. However, there were periods of less rapid and more rapid rates of declines, and these were correlated with periods of increasing and decreasing K concentrations in the water column. The decline rates were less and the K concentrations greater in the winter than in the summer. In the deeper, neighboring monomictic reservoirs of Par Pond and Pond B, a yearly cycle of increasing and decreasing 137Cs concentrations in the water column is driven by anoxic remobilization of Cs from the sediments into a persistent summer hypolimnion. In Pond 4, whose mean depth of 1.6 m is too shallow to support a persistent anoxic hypolimnion, the pattern of yearly dynamics for K and Cs appear to be related to the accumulation and release of these elements from the extensive, seasonal macrophyte communities. The contrasting results between Pond 4 and Pond B suggest that a full appreciation of the relative importance of 1) anoxic remobilization and 2) accumulation and release by macrophytes in these systems remains to be established. © 2010.

The intention of this paper is to to provide a general overview of the commercial and technical development of seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) from the perspective of a manufacturer of spiral-wound reverse osmosis membranes. It illustrates the rapid rate of growth of the capacity of SWRO plants around the world and highlights some of the technical developments that have enabled such growth to occur, by reducing the cost of water produced by the SWRO Process. Whilst written from the experiences of one manufacturer the paper reflects, the similar progress made by other manufacturers and the industry as a whole in the development of SWRO to the point at which it is an economically viable process for the large-scale production of potable quality water.

Use of molecular tools to diagnose and treat aortic disease, in particular, aortic aneurysms and aortic dissections, is still in its infancy, with great advancements expected in the future. Currently under investigation are the genetic markers linked to aortic disease that may help to identify patients at risk for their development prior to clinical presentation. In addition, specific gene defects may be identified that can assist in the understanding of the basic mechanisms contributing to development of aortic disease. Biomarkers are under investigation that can be used to monitor the development, progression, and possible response to therapy for aortic aneurysms and acute aortic syndromes. Equally important, further investigations into the molecular mechanisms involved in aortic pathology will result in increased understanding of the disease etiology and will lead to development of alternate therapies for these diseases prior to their catastrophic development. With advances in molecular technology, the molecular diagnosis and treatment of aortic diseases will begin to expand at a rapid rate and provide unique, improved therapies.

Objective To investigate the effect of high frequency rTMS (25 Hz at 90–100% of resting motor threshold) on the excitability of the motor cortex of healthy human subjects. Methods Resting and active motor threshold, MEP recruitment curve (I/O curve), short interval intracortical inhibition (SICI) and facilitation (ICF), and the duration of the silent period (SP) were tested in the right first dorsal interosseous muscle (FDI) before and twice after the end of 1500 pulses in 16 normal young adult male volunteers. Results Twenty-five Hertz rTMS decreased motor thresholds, reduced the duration of the silent period and had a tendency to increase the slope of the I/O curve. Most of these effects lasted for the duration of the two post-testing sessions (at least 30 min) and had returned to normal by 2 h. There were no significant effects on SICI/ICF. Conclusion Twenty-five Hertz rTMS can produce a long lasting increase in cortical excitability in healthy subjects. Significance This method may prove useful for the study of normal human physiology and for therapeutic manipulation of brain plasticity.

Effective mapping of faults in coal mining is critical for reasons of economics and safety. Undetected or ill-mapped geologic hazards can stop or substantially hinder project development with respect to profit and safety. Computer mapping allows the mineral engineering profession to access geologic hazards in a shortened time required by today's rapid rate of extraction. A case study shows that the utility of computer modeling is presented for a coal surface mine with multiple coal seams and multiple reverse faults in Columbia. Mincom's MineScape™ model is used for computer mapping.

Mossbauer spectroscopic studies of BaFeO 4 and K 2 FeO 4 as prepared, then either sealed, or exposed to air, or exposed to moist air for a period up to more than one year, were performed at room temperature as a function of time. Some of the samples were studied as a function of temperature down to 4.2 K. K 2 FeO 4 and BaFeO 4 after preparation, exhibit a pure Fe 6+ spectrum. K 2 FeO 4 shows low stability. After a period of 14 months in a sealed sample holder, the spectrum exhibits 83% noncrystalline Fe 3+ , as Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles, and only 17% of the original Fe 6+ . BaFeO 4 sealed, or exposed to dry air disintegrates slowly, exhibiting a spectrum composed of three subspectra. In addition to the original Fe 6+ and final Fe 3+ subspectra, a subspectrum, of an intermediate stage of a crystalline Fe 4+ system, is present. In the first month the increase of the Fe 3+ subspectrum is 15%, and that of the Fe 4+ is 8%. BaFeO 4 exposed to moist air, disintegrates at a very fast rate. The Fe 3+ subspectrum, due to Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles, increases in the first days at the rapid rate of ∼13%/day, and there is no evidence for Fe 4+ in the spectrum. The Fe 6+ in BaFeO 4 , Fe 3+ and Fe 4+ in the disintegrated systems are all magnetically ordered at 4.2 K. Above 90 K the Fe 3+ subspectra exhibit a superposition of a paramagnetic doublet and a diffuse magnetic sextet, with relative intensities changing with temperature, and changing from sample to sample according to their blocking temperatures, which are determined by the distribution in size of the nanoparticles.

The role that plastics additives are playing in agricultural applications is varied and growing at a rapid rate. Plastics are used in greenhouses to promote growth and as mulch films to suppress weeds and diseases, as well as in bale wrap films and containers for seedlings. Jennifer Markarian looks at some of the areas where improvements in additive technology are expanding the role of plastics in agriculture.

Transparent conducting oxide of In2O3·(ZnO)k (indium zinc oxide; IZO) ceramics have various homologous compounds with different k values, and the phase relationship between the compounds changes with temperature [J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 81 (1998) 1310]. In this study, IZO ceramics were reaction-sintered without calcination process. Different sintering processes of the rapid rate sintering and the conventional sintering were employed. In the case of the rapid rate sintering, solid state reaction was not completed during heating up which led to poor densification. In the case of the conventional sintering reaction was completed during heating up which was favorable in densification. From the experimental result, it was verified that reaction occurs prior to densification in the reaction sintering of IZO.

Europe is peculiar in that a large proportion of the myriad species that occur on the continent are associated with farmland habitat. With farming practices changing at an increasingly rapid rate, population trends of many farmland species are showing precipitous drops. To the amazement of conservationists in other parts of the world, many European conservationists obsess over species occurring on arable fields, meadows, and pastures, where they interact with the activities of farmers. And there is no country in Europe where they obsess more than in the UK [1].