Large-scale CdSe nanotube arrays on indium tin oxide (ITO) glass have been synthesized using ZnO nanorod template. The strong visible light absorption in CdSe, its excellent photoresponse, and the large surface area associated with the tubular morphology lead to good visible light-driven photocatalytic capability of these nanotube arrays. Compared to ...

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can generate smooth-spectra sound emission over a wide frequency range (1-10(5) Hz) by means of thermoacoustics (TA). However, in the low frequencies f, where the need for large area sound projectors is high, the sound generation efficiency η of open CNT sheets is low, since η ∝ f(2). Together with ...

In this study, reduced forward voltage and improved light output power of GaN-based vertical light-emitting diodes (VLEDs) incorporating single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT)-networks is reported. The SWNT-networks were directly formed on a roughened (textured) n-GaN surface via a solution-processed dip-coating method. The surface-roughened VLEDs with the proposed SWNT-networks had a forward ...

In order to develop g-C3N4 for better visible light photocatalysis, g-C3N4 nanoarchitectures was synthesized by direct pyrolysis of cheap urea at 550°C and engineered through the variation of pyrolysis time. By prolonging the pyrolysis time, the crystallinity of the resulted sample was enhanced, the thickness and size of the layers ...

Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) were demonstrated to have the ability to enhance the photocatalytic performance of monoclinic BiVO4 with different exposed facets under visible light.

The motion and annihilation of a grain boundary (GB) in graphene are investigated by tight-binding molecular dynamics (TBMD) simulation and ab initio local density approximation total energy calculation. A meandering structure of the GB is found to be energetically more favorable than other structures, in good agreement with experiment. It ...

Increasing visible light absorption of wide-bandgap photocatalysts (for example, ZnO and TiO2) plays a pivotal role in improving their photocatalytic activity. In this work, we show that substitutional nitrogen doping can be realized in semi-crystalline zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles but fails for highly crystalline ZnO by heating the ZnO at ...

The effect of anthropogenic black carbon (BC) aerosol on snow is of enduring interest due to its consequences for climate forcing. Until now, too little attention has been focused on BC's size in snow, an important parameter affecting BC light absorption in snow. Here we present first observations of this ...

This paper presents an improved photon path length probability density function method that permits simultaneous retrievals of column-average greenhouse gas mole fractions and light path modifications through the atmosphere when processing high-resolution radiance spectra acquired from space. We primarily describe the methodology and retrieval setup and then apply them to ...

Sanitary sewage can create serious environmental problems if discharged directly into natural waters without appropriate treatment. This study showed that red light is the optimum light wavelength for growing microalgae Chlorella vulgaris in microalgae biological wastewater treatment systems, given a harvest time of 144 h. Only moderate light intensities (1,000, 1,500, ...

TiO(2) nanotube arrays loaded with carbon quantum dots were used as a photoanode for efficient hydrogen generation under visible light.

We investigated the respiration patterns of wasps (Vespula sp.) in their viable temperature range (2.9 - 42.4 °C) by measuring CO2 production and locomotor and endothermic activity. Wasps showed cycles of an interburst-burst type at low ambient temperatures (Ta < 5 °C) or typical discontinuous gas exchange patterns with closed, ...

Bi(4)Ti(3)O(12) nanofibers with diameters of 50-100 nm have been fabricated for the first time through a simple and economical technique of electrospinning combined with subsequent calcination. The as-formed Bi(4)Ti(3)O(12) nanofibers are porous and composed of inter-linked nanoparticles of 30-50 nm in size. They exhibit both enhanced visible-light-driven photocatalytic decomposition of ...

With an aim to explore the productivity and quality of the fruiting body of culinary-medicinal golden oyster mushroom Pleurotus citrinopileatus, the carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration of the ambient atmosphere was adjusted and a light-emitting diode panel was used to illuminate the colonized mycelium at different wavelengths. Biological efficiency and yield ...

Calcium carbonate skeletons of scleractinian corals amplify light availability to their algal symbionts by diffuse scattering, optimizing photosynthetic energy acquisition. However, the mechanism of scattering and its role in coral evolution and dissolution of algal symbioses during "bleaching" events are largely unknown. Here we show that differences in skeletal fractal ...

In order to accommodate the physiologically incompatible processes of photosynthesis and nitrogen fixation within the same cell, unicellular nitrogen fixing cyanobacteria have to maintain a dynamic metabolic profile in the light as well as the dark phase of a diel cycle. The transition from the photosynthetic to the nitrogen-fixing phase ...

Novel visible light-driven phtotocatalysts composed by silver halides and graphitic carbon nitride (i.e. AgX@g-C(3)N(4), X=Cl, Br, I) were synthesized by in situ precipitation of AgX nanoparticles on the surface of sheet-like g-C(3)N(4). The resultant AgX@g-C(3)N(4) nanocomposites were characterized with state-of-the-art instruments, showing significant enhancement in photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange ...

Understanding the dynamics and underlying mechanism of carbon exchange between terrestrial ecosystems and the atmosphere is one of the key issues in global change research. In this study, we quantified the carbon fluxes in different terrestrial ecosystems in China, and analyzed their spatial variation and environmental drivers based on the ...

A top-down fabrication method is presented for vertically aligned carbon nanopillars (CNPs) using photolithography and pyrolysis. The modified backside exposure method of photolithography fabricates vertically aligned polymer (SU-8) nanopillars. The pyrolysis process, which transforms the polymer to amorphous carbon, reliably produces vertically aligned CNPs with widths ranging from 100 to ...

Regulation of carbon metabolism in the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum at cell, metabolite and gene expression level in exponential fed-batch cultures is reported. Transcriptional profiles and cell chemistry sampled simultaneously at all time-points provide a comprehensive data set on carbon incorporation, fate and regulation. An increase in Nile Red fluorescence (a ...

The Hoffman II External Fixator is the external fixation system used by the United States Army during Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). To our knowledge, there have been no studies comparing the bending strength or stiffness of new to used or reprocessed rods. The purpose of ...

Kerosene-fueled wick lamps used in millions of developing-country households are a significant but overlooked source of black carbon (BC) emissions. We present new laboratory and field measurements showing that 7-9% of kerosene consumed by widely used simple wick lamps is converted to carbonaceous particulate matter that is nearly pure BC. ...

A field campaign was conducted from October 2009 to July 2010 at Covilhã, a small town located in the region of Beira Interior (Portugal) in the interior of the Iberian Peninsula. The ambient light-absorption coefficient, σ(a) (522 nm), obtained from a Particle Soot Absorption Photometer (PSAP), presented a daily mean ...

We measured and analyzed the electrochemical impedance of carbon nanotube (CNT) probe electrodes fabricated through the physical separation of insulated CNT bridges. The fabricated CNT electrodes were free-standing CNTs that were completely covered with an insulator, except for their tips. Typical dimensions of the nanoelectrodes were 1-10 nm in CNT diameter, ...

While most oxygenic phototrophs harvest light only in the visible range (400-700 nm, VIS), anoxygenic phototrophs can harvest near infrared light (> 700 nm, NIR). To study interactions between the photosynthetic guilds we used microsensors to measure oxygen and gross oxygenic photosynthesis (gOP) in a hypersaline microbial mat under full (VIS + NIR) and VIS ...

The effects of light, pH and organic carbon sources were investigated on hydrogen production by algae. An optical fiber was examined as an internal light source. The optical fiber rendered prolonged lag time and total time of hydrogen production. The optimal pH to produce hydrogen for Chlorella sp. was 8.0. ...

Roseobacter litoralis OCh149 is a type strain of aerobic anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria in marine Roseobacter clade. Its full genome has been sequenced; however, proteomic research, which will give deeper insights into the environmental stimuli on gene expression networks, has yet to be performed. In the present study, a proteomic approach ...

As a result of mixing and light attenuation in a photobioreactor (PBR), microalgae experience light/dark (L/D) cycles that can enhance PBR efficiency. One parameter which characterizes L/D cycles is the duty cycle; it determines the time fraction algae spend in the light. The objective of this study was to determine ...

We explore a novel approach for fabricating polymeric microfluidic-channelled dielectrophoretic (DEP) chips by direct laser projection through a holographic Spatial-Light-Modulator (SLM) onto photorefractive crystal substrates. As the first step, an all-optical mould-free approach was used to fabricate the PDMS microfluidic channel, by exploiting the light induced space charge field in ...

Older adults often have more difficulty understanding speech than younger adults do, particularly in the presence of noise. Such age-related speech perception difficulties may be related to declines in central auditory processing. Additionally, it has been hypothesized that impaired auditory processing might be related to neural dysynchrony. The purpose of ...

Conventional antibacterial treatment fails to eradicate biofilms associated with common infections of the oral cavity. Unlike chemical agents, which are less effective than anticipated, owing to diffusion limitations in biofilms, light is more effective on bacteria in biofilm than in suspension. Effectiveness depends also on the type and parameters of ...

To evaluate the morphologic and functional changes of the primate retina after light exposure using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and electroretinography (ERG). Seven monkey eyes with light-emitting diode (LED) contact lenses were exposed to light for 8 hours. SD-OCT and ERG were performed bilaterally before, after the light exposure, ...

Objective: To establish reference hearing threshold levels for chirps and frequency-specific chirps. Design: Hearing thresholds were determined monaurally for broad-band chirps and octave-band chirps using the Etymotic Research, ER-3A insert earphone. The chirps were presented using two repetition rates, 20 and 90 stimuli/s, and with alternating polarity in blocks of ...

Although previous studies have shown that systematic temporal changes in keystroke durations may be used as surrogate measures of muscle fatigue, software-based keystroke duration may be adversely affected by different keyswitch force-displacement characteristics. Therefore, this study used a force platform to measure the keystroke durations and compared them to software-based ...

Knowledge of the exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields is necessary for epidemiological studies on possible health effects. The main goal of this study is to determine the exposure level and spatial and temporal variances during 39 everyday activities in 12 frequency bands used in mobile telecommunication and broadcasting. Therefore, 24h ...

This paper presents a system for detection of the most common noise types seen on the electrocardiogram (ECG) in order to evaluate whether an episode from 12-lead ECG is reliable for diagnosis. It implements criteria for estimation of the noise corruption level in specific frequency bands, aiming to identify the ...

INTRODUCTION: Noise is increasingly recognised as a potentially important environmental pollutant but most studies on human responses to noise exposure relate to steady state situations. Effects may differ when noise changes rapidly, e.g. after noise mitigation interventions or with changes in road or airport configurations. METHODS: A systematic review of ...

Ultraviolet (UV) vision plays an important role in interspecific and intraspecific communication in many animals. However, UV vision and its adaptive significance have been investigated in only approximately 1% of more than 5000 species of jumping spiders (Araneae: Salticidae), renowned for their unique, complex eyes that support exceptional spatial acuity ...

Internally generated, spontaneous activity is ubiquitous in the cortex, yet it does not appear to have a significant negative impact on sensory processing. Various studies have found that stimulus onset reduces the variability of cortical responses, but the characteristics of this suppression remained unexplored. By recording multiunit activity from awake ...

Objectives: To assess the feasibility of designing and implementing a speech in noise test in children before and after grommet insertion, and to analyse the results of such a test in a small group of children. Methods: Twelve children aged six to nine years who were scheduled to undergo grommet ...

UV irradiation of a dipeptide gelator in solution with a photoacid generator (PAG) results in the formation of a hydrogel. We demonstrate that photopatterning of these gels using a UV mask is possible.

Pitch experiments aimed at evaluating temporal pitch mechanism(s) often utilize complex sounds with only unresolved harmonic components, and a low-pass noise masker to eliminate the potential contribution of audible distortion products to the pitch percept. Herein we examine how: (i) masker induced reduction of neural distortion products (difference tone: DT; ...

  The effects of chronic exposure to increasing levels of human-induced underwater noise on marine animal populations reliant on sound for communication are poorly understood. We sought to further develop methods of quantifying the effects of communication masking associated with human-induced sound on contact-calling North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) ...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Current scientific evidence suggests that the systemic immune response is affected by exposure to light. During the past century man has been exposed for the first time in evolution to light at night, as well as increasing ultraviolet radiation through depletion of the ozone layer in our ...

This study confirmed the physicochemical transformation of aqueous fullerene aggregates (nC60) produced via solvent exchange from toluene by chlorine in the dark and under fluorescent light (representing visible light) by comparing the changes in light absorbance at 700 nm and size distribution of nC60 and characterizing the photochlorination products of ...

Aerobic anoxygenic phototrophs contain photosynthetic reaction centers composed of bacteriochlorophyll. These organisms are photoheterotrophs, as they require organic carbon substrates for their growth whereas light-derived energy has only an auxiliary function. To establish the contribution of light energy to their metabolism, we grew the phototrophic strain Erythrobacter sp. NAP1 in ...

Responses to novel threats (e.g. invasive species) can involve genetic changes or plastic shifts in phenotype. There is controversy over the relative importance of these processes for species survival of such perturbations, but we are realizing they are not mutually exclusive. Native eastern fence lizards (Sceloporus undulatus) have adapted to ...

Light irradiation activates a range of cellular processes in a variety of cell types, including stem cells, and can promote tissue repair. This study investigated the effects of light-emitting diode (LED) exposure on dental pulp cells (DPCs). Dose response analysis at 20-second intervals up to 120 seconds demonstrated that a ...

OBJECTIVES:: One of the challenges for evaluating new otoprotective agents for potential benefit in human populations is the availability of an established clinical paradigm with real-world relevance. These studies were explicitly designed to develop a real-world digital music exposure that reliably induces temporary threshold shift (TTS) in normal-hearing human subjects. ...

The wheeled agricultural tractor is one of the most prominent sources of noise in agriculture. This paper presents the assessment of the operator's exposure to audible and infrasonic noise in 32 selected modern wheeled agricultural tractors designed and produced by world-renowned companies in normal working conditions. The tractors have been ...