In this work, we prepare samarium-doped ceria (SDC) nanocomposite electrolytes by the co-precipitation method with different ZnO:SDC weight ratios for solid oxide fuel cell application. The ...physicochemical characterization of the nanocomposite electrolytes is carried out by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) techniques. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy is performed to measure the electrical properties of the electrolytes, and the results show that the optimum composition of ZnO (
x
= 0.2) nanocomposite demonstrates a better ionic conductivity ~ 0.1–0.7 S/cm at 350–700 °C. The fuel cell performance of the ZnO/SDC nanocomposite electrolytes is measured with hydrogen as the fuel. The as-synthesized nanocomposite material with ZnO (
x
= 0.2) also exhibits a power density of 804 mW/cm
2
along with a maximum open-circuit voltage (OCV) of 1.10 V at 700 °C.
This paper reviews the state of phosphor thermometry, focusing on developments in the past 15 years. The fundamental principles and theory are presented, and the various spectral and temporal modes, ...including the lifetime decay, rise time and intensity ratio, are discussed. The entire phosphor measurement system, including relative advantages to conventional methods, choice of phosphors, bonding techniques, excitation sources and emission detection, is reviewed. Special attention is given to issues that may arise at high temperatures. A number of recent developments and applications are surveyed, with examples including: measurements in engines, hypersonic wind tunnel experiments, pyrolysis studies and droplet/spray/gas temperature determination. They show the technique is flexible and successful in measuring temperatures where conventional methods may prove to be unsuitable.
Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) technology, with fuel flexibility, is one of the most promising power generation technology. However, the high operating temperature of SOFCs has hindered their ...commercial applications. As a crucial requirement to enhance its performance, SOFCs electrolytes should operate at a low temperature. Carbonate/ceria composites are developed as electrolytes for low operating temperature SOFCs, and a better understanding of the mechanism of its ionic conductivity serves this purpose. In this work, ceria-carbonate composite electrolyte, Na2CO3/samarium doped ceria (NSDC) were synthesized by the co-precipitation method. The synthesized electrolytes were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and UV–Vis spectroscopy. The XRD and SEM results showed that the sintered NSDC nanocomposite comprised a single-phase dense electrolyte structure. The crystallite size of the NSDC nanocomposite was greatly affected by the different pre-firing temperatures and different sintering temperatures. Also, the ionic conductivity of the prepared NSDC nanocomposite electrolytes was strongly dependent on the pre-firing and sintering temperatures. The NSDC nanocomposite electrolytes were pre-fired at 950 °C and 650 °C and sintered at 1200 °C and 900 °C respectively, had ionic conductivity in H2 and air high as 0.36 S/cm and 0.3 S/cm.
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In this paper a reliable, efficient in terms of power consumption and high stable network is proposed for Wireless Body Area Sensor Networks. Eight sensor nodes are used from which two are recording ...critical data. These two sensors are not apart of multi-hopping but send data direct to the sink. Remaining six sensors are computed to become a forwarder node. Forwarder nodes gathers data from sensors and after aggregating sends ti the sink. Two parameters are set for cost function so that a forwarder node is selected. If a sensor is having minimum distance and maximum energy as compared to the entire nodes then it will be selected as forwarder node. Multi-hopping is used to reduce the distance of data communication and to save energy consumption. Simulation is carried out and shows stable results.
In this study, one-dimensional zinc (Zn)-doped cadmium sulphide (CdS) nanowires were synthesised by a solvothermal method. The Zn doping concentrations were varied from 1 to 5 mol% (Zn
x
Cd
1−
x
S ...where x = 0.001, 0.003 and 0.005). As-prepared materials were characterised by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy and UV-visible spectroscopy. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was conducted to measure the charge transfer resistance. The photocatalytic performance of prepared materials was evaluated by the photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) dye. The result showed that 5% Zn-doped CdS is more photoactive as compared to other corresponding doped and undoped CdS. The increase in photocatalytic performance is due to improvement in the charge separation.
Chickpea is one of the major legume crops being cultivated in the arid and semi-arid regions of Pakistan. It is mainly grown on the marginal areas where, terminal drought stress is one of the serious ...threats to its productivity. For defining the appropriate selection criteria for screening drought tolerant chickpea genotypes, present study was conducted. Distinct chickpea germplasm was collected from different pulses breeding institutes of Pakistan and evaluated for drought tolerance at germination and early seedling stages, furthermore, at late vegetative growth stages physiochemical traits and multi-environment yield performance were also tested.
Chickpea genotypes under different environments, were significantly varied for different seedling traits, physio-chemical attributes and seed yield. Genotypes showing drought tolerance by performing better at an early seedling stages were not correspondingly high yielding. Screening for drought tolerance on seed yield basis is the most appropriate trait to develop the drought tolerant as well as high yielding chickpea genotypes. Results confirmed that traits of early growth stages were not reflecting the drought tolerance at terminal growth stages and also did not confer high yielding. NIAB-rain fed environment proved ideal in nature to screen the chickpea genotypes whereas, NIAB-lysimeter and Kalur Kot was least effective for selecting genotypes with high seed yield. Genotypes D0091-10, K010-10, D0085-10, K005-10, D0078-10, 08AG016, 08AG004, D0080-10, 09AG002, K002-10 and D0099-10 were high yielding and drought tolerant based on their performance across multiple hotspot environments.
The selected genotypes are intended for further evaluation for varietal approval to recommend for general cultivation on farmer fields in drought hit areas of Pakistan. Among physio-biochemical traits, higher proline, glycine betain, RWC and CMS were reflecting the higher capability to tolerate the drought stress in chickpea. Drought sensitive genotypes (K0037-10, 2204, K0052-10, 09AG015, K0042-10, CM709/06, K0068-10, K004-10, K0026-10 and K0063-10) were also identified in present study which were resourceful asset for using as contrasting parents in hybridization programs. To our knowledge, this is first report using an integrated approach involving, physio-biochemical indices, and multi-environmental yield trials, for comparison, screening and selection of chickpea genotypes for drought tolerance.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Accumulation of glycogen in the kidney and liver is the main feature of Fanconi-Bickel Syndrome (FBS), a rare disorder of carbohydrate metabolism inherited in an autosomal recessive manner due to
...gene mutations. Missense, nonsense, frame-shift (fs), in-frame indels, splice site, and compound heterozygous variants have all been identified in
gene of FBS cases. Approximately 144 FBS cases with 70 different
gene variants have been reported so far.
encodes for glucose transporter 2 (GLUT2) a low affinity facilitative transporter of glucose mainly expressed in tissues playing important roles in glucose homeostasis, such as renal tubular cells, enterocytes, pancreatic β-cells, hepatocytes and discrete regions of the brain. Dysfunctional mutations and decreased GLUT2 expression leads to dysglycaemia (fasting hypoglycemia, postprandial hyperglycemia, glucose intolerance, and rarely diabetes mellitus), hepatomegaly, galactose intolerance, rickets, and poor growth. The molecular mechanisms of dysglycaemia in FBS are still not clearly understood. In this review, we discuss the physiological roles of GLUT2 and the pathophysiology of mutants, highlight all of the previously reported
mutations associated with dysglycaemia, and review the potential molecular mechanisms leading to dysglycaemia and diabetes mellitus in FBS patients.
•New probabilistic method developed to predict HMAs’ performance subjected to fatigue.•The probabilistic approach accounts for uncertainties associated with fatigue tests.•Fatigue life results of the ...probabilistic analysis were consistent and reliable.
Fatigue cracking is one of the most serious distress modes affecting the serviceability of asphalt pavement structures. The inherent variability of asphaltic materials exhibited in fatigue test results, especially for specimens acquired from field pavements, makes the task of accurately predicting the material’s fatigue characteristics rather difficult. The problem is further exacerbated by the combined impact of a large number of factors, including loading conditions, material heterogeneity, ageing, construction quality and others. For these reasons, notable uncertainty is associated with the predicted fatigue life from laboratory tests based on the use of phenomenological models, which adopt deterministic input parameters despite the varying levels of uncertainty embedded in them. To investigate the effect of inherent uncertainty associated with asphalt mixtures on their fatigue life prediction, a probabilistic analysis approach is evidently needed. In this study, probabilistic analysis was applied to the fatigue life prediction model deduced from the viscoelastic continuum damage theory, based on testing various types of asphalt mixtures. The outcome of the analysis is a newly developed approach with the ability to predict the fatigue performance of asphalt mixtures at more consistent and reliable levels than current practice permits.
Hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia (HH) is due to the unregulated secretion of insulin from pancreatic β-cells. A rapid diagnosis and appropriate management of these patients is essential to prevent the ...potentially associated complications like epilepsy, cerebral palsy and neurological impairment. The molecular basis of HH involves defects in key genes (
ABCC8, KCNJ11, GLUD1, GCK, HADH, SLC16A1, HNF4A
and
UCP2
) which regulate insulin secretion. The most severe forms of HH are due to loss of function mutations in
ABCC8/KCNJ11
which encode the SUR1 and KIR6.2 components respectively of the pancreatic β-cell K
ATP
channel. At a histological level there are two major forms (diffuse and focal) each with a different genetic aetiology. The diffuse form is inherited in an autosomal recessive (or dominant) manner whereas the focal form is sporadic in inheritance and is localised to a small region of the pancreas. The focal form can now be accurately localised pre-operatively using a specialised positron emission tomography scan with the isotope Fluroine-18L-3, 4-dihydroxyphenyalanine (18F-DOPA-PET). Focal lesionectomy can provide cure from the hypoglycaemia. However the diffuse form is managed medically or by near total pancreatectomy (with high risk of diabetes mellitus). Recent advances in molecular genetics, imaging with 18F-DOPA-PET/CT and novel surgical techniques have changed the clinical approach to patients with HH.
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