Potential Barrier Research Articles

Energy barriers of Be and B in passing through the C60 fullerene cage

We have studied the potential barriers for the penetration of atomic beryllium or boron inside the C60 fullerene by performing density functional theory (DFT) calculations with three variants for the exchange and correlation: B3LYP (hybrid functional), PW91, and PBE. Four principal trajectories to the inner part of C60 for the penetrating atom have been considered: through the center of six-member-carbon ring (hexagon), five-member-carbon ring (pentagon), and also through the center of the double C–C bond (D-bond) and the center of the single C–C bond (S-bond). Averaging over the three DFT variants yields the following barriers for beryllium penetrating inside a deformable fullerene: 3.2 eV (hexagon), 4.8 eV (S-bond), 5.3 eV (D-bond), 5.9 eV (pentagon). These barriers correspond to the slow and adiabatic penetration of Be, in contrast to the fast (non-adiabatic) penetration through the rigid cage of C60 resulting in 5.6 eV (hexagon), 16.3 eV (pentagon), 81.8 eV (S-bond), and 93.4 eV (D-bond). The potential barriers for the boron penetrating inside deformable/rigid C60 are 3.7/105.4 eV (D-bond), 4.0/86.8 eV (S-bond), 4.7/7.8 eV (hexagon), 6.8/14.0 eV (pentagon).

Perception, attitude and stigma of community pharmacists toward patients with mental disorders: a cross-sectional study

One of the potential barriers to providing pharmaceutical care services to patients with mental disorders is stigma. Therefore, this study aims to explore the perception, attitude and stigma of community pharmacists toward patients with mental disorders in Indonesia. A self-report questionnaire was used including a convenience sample of 1,878 Indonesian community pharmacists from January to March 2023. The regression analyses showed that the perception in confidence level was significantly affected by age (95% CL :0.468-0.851; p-value:0.003) and work experience (95% CL: 1.205-2.284; p-value :0.002). Furthermore, age also affected the attitude of the community pharmacists towards patients with mental disorders (95% CL: 0.705-0.985; p-value: 0.033). Gender and a history of mental illness in a family member or a close friend contributed significantly to social distance (95% CL: 0.584-0.937; p-value: 0.013 and 95% CL: 1.212-1.779; p-value: <0.001, respectively). However, the self-disclosure of pharmacists about mental disorders remained unfavourable. In conclusion, this study found that majority of respondents had good perception and a low level of stigma towards patients with mental disorders. Based on the results, the continuous promotion of mental health awareness and education is recommended. In addition, sharing the personal experiences of individuals with mental disorders is essential for reducing self-stigma. Further studies are required to support service development in this field.

Trauma-informed education: a case for compassion-focused teaching?

ABSTRACT While education seeks to develop academic knowledge, there too lies the need for children and young people’s personal, social, emotional, and ethical needs to be met, to develop confidence and autonomy. With ongoing austerity and the closure of universal services such as Children Centres , there is an ever-increasing need for schools to become trauma informed, as they continue to gain recognition as a first line of defence against later mental health issues, warranting earlier and more pervasive intervention and support. As a result, therapeutic approaches and teaching continue to converge in schools in varying capacities. Well-being and academic learning should be regarded in equal measure; however, the application of standalone interventions raises the question of what needs to be considered for mental health and well-being to be authentically trauma informed and threaded into the culture and pedagogy of schools long term. This paper uses existing literature to examine the implications of trauma-informed education in developing a case for compassion-focused pedagogy in schools, considering the benefits and potential barriers to its implementation

Estimation of the Charge Mobility of Phenanthroline derivatives with the view of Density Functional Theory: Reorganization Energy and Charge Transfer Integral are in play

Molecular arrangement and noncovalent interactions in organic materials greatly influence the charge mobility in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), organic photovoltaics (OPVs), and organic field-effect transistors (OFETs). In the light of the this argument, we examined the electronic properties of the phenanthroline derivatives by considering the charge mobility with the combination of density functional theory and Marcus Charge Transfer Theory. The drift electron mobility of the molecule 1 and 2 were determined to 21.13 cm2 V-1 s-1 and 18.00 cm2 V-1 s-1, respectively through J type π⋯π stacking interactions created by small perpendicular distances between the adjacent rings. The effective charge pathways of the molecules were generated with strong π⋯π stacking interactions consolidated by noncovalent interactions in their solid phases. The electron reorganization energy for both molecules were determined smaller than that of holes which means they have n-type semiconductor properties. The charge transfer integrals were calculated with the optimization of molecules’ dimer configurations that the theoretical results demonstrate the charge transfer integral depends on the distance between the stacking rings. High charge transfer integral and small reorganization energy give the high charge mobility fort he semiconductor molecules. Beside the mobility, energy band gap, ionization potential, electron and hole injection barriers of the molecules were interpreted to further understand their electronic properties. Due to the small LUMO values which provide n-type molecule and small electron injection barrier. From the our work both molecules can be effective n type organic semiconductor devices with the high mobility and can be modified for more efficient charge transport in phenanthroline derivatives.

Functional diversity of snake locomotor behaviors: A review of the biological literature for bioinspiration.

Organismal solutions to natural challenges can spark creative engineering applications. However, most engineers are not experts in organismal biology, creating a potential barrier to maximally effective bioinspired design. In this review, we aim to reduce that barrier with respect to a group of organisms that hold particular promise for a variety of applications: snakes. Representing >10% of tetrapod vertebrates, snakes inhabit nearly every imaginable terrestrial environment, moving with ease under many conditions that would thwart other animals. To do so, they employ over a dozen different types of locomotion (perhaps well over). Lacking limbs, they have evolved axial musculoskeletal features that enable their vast functional diversity, which can vary across species. Different species also have various skin features that provide numerous functional benefits, including frictional anisotropy or isotropy (as their locomotor habits demand), waterproofing, dirt shedding, antimicrobial properties, structural colors, and wear resistance. Snakes clearly have much to offer to the fields of robotics and materials science. We aim for this review to increase knowledge of snake functional diversity by facilitating access to the relevant literature.

COVID-19 diagnostic testing and vaccinations among First Nations in Manitoba: A nations-based retrospective cohort study using linked administrative data, 2020-2021.

Differential access to healthcare has contributed to a higher burden of illness and mortality among First Nations compared to other people in Canada. Throughout the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, First Nations organizations in Manitoba partnered with public health and Manitoba government officials to ensure First Nations had early, equitable and culturally safe access to COVID-19 diagnostic testing and vaccination. In this study, we examined whether prioritizing First Nations for vaccination was associated with faster uptake of COVID-19 vaccines among First Nations versus All Other Manitobans (AOM). In this retrospective cohort study, we used linked, whole-population administrative data from the Manitoba healthcare system (February 2020 to December 2021) to determine rates of COVID-19 diagnostic testing, infection, and vaccination, and used adjusted restricted mean survival time (RMST) models to test whether First Nations received their first and second vaccine doses more quickly than other Manitobans. The cohort comprised 114,816 First Nations (50.6% female) and 1,262,760 AOM (50.1% female). First Nations were younger (72.3% were age 0 to 39 years) compared to AOM (51% were age 0 to 39 years) and were overrepresented in the lowest 2 income quintiles (81.6% versus 35.6% for AOM). The 2 groups had a similar burden of comorbidities (65.8% of First Nations had none and 6.3% had 3 or more; 65.9% of AOM had none and 6.0% had 3 or more) and existing mental disorders (36.9% of First Nations were diagnosed with a mood/anxiety disorder, psychosis, personality disorder, or substance use disorder versus 35.2% of AOM). First Nations had crude infection rates of up to 17.20 (95% CI 17.15 to 17.24) COVID-19 infections/1,000 person-months compared with up to 6.24 (95% CI 6.16 to 6.32) infections/1,000 person-months among AOM. First Nations had crude diagnostic testing rates of up to 103.19 (95% CI 103.06 to 103.32) diagnostic COVID-19 tests/1,000 person-months compared with up to 61.52 (95% CI 61.47 to 61.57) tests/1,000 person-months among AOM. Prioritizing First Nations to receive vaccines was associated with faster vaccine uptake among First Nations versus other Manitobans. After adjusting for age, sex, income, region of residence, mental health conditions, and comorbidities, we found that First Nations residents received their first vaccine dose an average of 15.5 (95% CI 14.9 to 16.0) days sooner and their second dose 13.9 (95% CI 13.3 to 14.5) days sooner than other Manitobans in the same age group. The study was limited by the discontinuation of population-based COVID-19 testing and data collection in December 2021. As well, it would have been valuable to have contextual data on potential barriers to COVID-19 testing or vaccination, including, for example, information on social and structural barriers faced by Indigenous and other racialized people, or the distrust Indigenous people may have in governments due to historical harms. In this study, we observed that the partnered COVID-19 response between First Nations and the Manitoba government, which oversaw creation and enactment of policies prioritizing First Nations for vaccines, was associated with vaccine acceptance and quick uptake among First Nations. This approach may serve as a useful framework for future public health efforts in Manitoba and other jurisdictions across Canada.

Graphene‐Based Lateral Heterojunctions for 2D Integrated Circuits

AbstractA method for patterning single‐layer graphene (SLG) and single‐layer oxidized graphene (SOG) within a continuous atomic layer to form lateral heterojunctions is presented. Raman spectroscopy is employed to investigate the evolution of defect‐related Raman peaks during excimer‐UV irradiation, facilitating the identification of structural changes and defect formation processes. Electrical transport measurements reveal that SOG‐patterned field‐effect transistors (FETs) exhibit varying characteristics depending on the degree of oxidation, thus offering the potential to tailor the electrical properties of graphene devices for specific requirements. Scanning Kelvin probe microscopy measurements reveal the surface potential and work function of the SOG regions compared with those of SLG. The effective functionality of the SOG pattern to operate as a resistor, allowing control of the electrical conductivity in the SOG‐patterned SLG channels, is demonstrated. This capability restricts the current flow while preserving the pristine electrical properties of the graphene channel. Moreover, the SOG pattern can serve as a potential barrier to constructing SLG‐SOG‐patterned integrated circuits, providing exciting opportunities for engineering advanced electronic components. This breakthrough in graphene devices simplifies the fabrication process of graphene‐based FETs and provides the foundation for developing atomically thin integrated circuits for a wide range of applications.

Influence of compacting pressure on the electrical properties of ZnO and ZnO:Mn ceramics

Undoped and Mn-doped ZnO ceramics were prepared from the powders compacted at different pressures and sintered in air at high temperature. Their structural, optical, light emitting and electrical characteristics as well as the distribution of chemical elements were studied. It was found that an increase in compacting pressure stimulates an increase in direct current conductivity in both undoped and doped samples. In the case of doped samples, this effect was accompanied by a decrease in the height of potential barriers at the grain boundaries. It is found that electron concentration in ceramic grains, estimated from the modelling of infrared reflection spectra, remained relatively constant. The analysis of luminescence spectra and spatial zinc distribution revealed that the increase in compacting pressure results in the accumulation of interstitial zinc at the grain boundaries forming channels with enhanced conductivity. These findings provide an explanation for the evolution of electrical properties of ceramic samples with compacting pressure.

MHealth Gratitude Exercise Mindfulness App for Resiliency Among Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Staff: Three-Arm Pretest-Posttest Interventional Study.

Health care is highly complex and can be both emotionally and physically challenging. This can lead health care workers to develop compassion fatigue and burnout (BO), which can negatively affect their well-being and patient care. Higher levels of resilience can potentially prevent compassion fatigue and BO. Strategies that enhance resilience include gratitude, exercise, and mindfulness. The purpose of this study was to determine if a 3-week daily resiliency practice, prompted via a gratitude, exercise, and mindfulness smartphone app, impacted the professional quality of life, physical activity, and happiness level of health care workers in a newborn intensive care unit setting. In total, 65 participants from a level III newborn intensive care unit at a regional hospital in the western United States completed this study. The Professional Quality of Life Scale, Physical Activity Vital Sign, and Subjective Happiness Score instruments were used to evaluate the effects of the mobile health (mHealth) intervention. Further, 2-tailed dependent paired t tests were used to evaluate participant pre- and postintervention instrument scores. Multiple imputation was used to predict scores of participants who practiced an intervention but did not complete the 3 instruments post intervention. Dependent t tests using the original data showed that participants, as a whole, significantly improved in BO (t35=2.30, P=.03), secondary trauma stress (STS; t35=2.11, P=.04), and happiness (t35=-3.72, P<.001) scores. Compassion satisfaction (CS; t35=-1.94, P=.06) and exercise (t35=-1.71, P=.10) were trending toward, but did not reach, significance. Using the original data, only the gratitude intervention group experienced significant improvements (CS, BO, and happiness), likely due to the higher number of participants in this group. Analysis using imputed data showed that participants, as a whole, had significant improvements in all areas: CS (t64=-4.08, P<.001), BO (t64=3.39, P=.001), STS (t64=4.08, P<.001), exercise (t64=-3.19, P=.002), and happiness (t64=-3.99, P<.001). Looking at the intervention groups separately using imputed data, the gratitude group had significant improvements in CS, BO, STS, and happiness; the exercise group had significant improvements in STS and exercise; and the mindfulness group had significant improvements in CS and happiness. Phone app delivery of resilience-enhancing interventions is a potentially effective intervention model for health care workers. Potential barriers to mHealth strategies are the technical issues that can occur with this type of intervention. Additional longitudinal and experimental studies with larger sample sizes need to be completed to better evaluate this modality.

Spatial quasi-bound states of Dirac electrons in graphene monolayer

Our study investigated the emergence of spatial quasi-bound states (QBSs) in graphene monolayers induced by rectangular potential barriers. By solving the time-independent Dirac equation and using the transfer matrix formalism, we calculated the resonance energies and identify the QBSs based on probability density functions (PDF). We analyzed two types of structures: single and double barriers, and we find that the QBSs are located within the barrier region, at energies higher than the single barrier. Additionally, we observe QBSs in the double barrier and their position depends on the distance and width of the well between the two barriers. The width and height of the barrier significantly impact the QBSs while the well width influences the resonance energy levels of the QBSs in the double barrier. Interestingly, the QBSs can be manipulated in the graphene system, offering potential for optoelectronic devices. Finally, our results demonstrated that the spatial localization of these states is counter-intuitive and holds great promise for future research in optolectronic devices.

Patient-centered evaluation of an expectation-focused intervention for patients undergoing heart valve surgery: a qualitative study.

Randomized controlled trials demonstrate the effectiveness of expectation-focused interventions in improving recovery outcomes following cardiac surgery. For dissemination in routine health care, it is important to capture the perspective of affected individuals. This qualitative study explores the perceived benefits and intervention-specific needs of patients who received expectation-focused intervention in the context of heart valve surgery. In addition, it explores potential barriers and adverse effects. As part of an Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) program within a multicentered randomized controlled trial, patients undergoing minimally invasive heart valve surgery received an intervention focused on their expectations. Six weeks after the intervention, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 patients to assess its feasibility, acceptance, barriers, benefits, and side effects. The transcribed interviews were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The results indicate that both the intervention and the role of the patient and psychologist are key aspects in evaluating the expectation-focused intervention. Five key themes emerged from the patients' perspective: personal needs, expectations and emotions, relationship, communication, and individuality. Patients valued the preparation for surgery and recovery and the space for emotions. Establishing a trustful relationship and addressing stigmatization were identified as primary challenges within the intervention. Overall, patients experienced the expectation-focused intervention as helpful and no adverse effects were reported. Perceived benefits included enhanced personal control throughout the surgery and recovery, while the potential barrier of stigmatization towards a psychologist may complicate establishing a trustful relationship. Addressing personal needs, as a relevant topic to the patients, could be achieved through additional research to identify the specific needs of different patient subgroups. Enhancing the expectation-focused intervention could involve the implementation of a modular concept to address individual needs better.

Effect of Single-Crystal TiO2/Perovskite Band Alignment on the Kinetics of Electron Extraction.

The kinetics of electron extraction at the electron transfer layer/perovskite interface strongly affects the efficiency of a perovskite solar cell. By combining transient absorption and time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy, the electron extraction process between FA0.83Cs0.17Pb(I0.83Br0.17)3 and TiO2 single crystals with different orientations of (100), (110), and (111) were probed from subpicosecond to several hundred nanoseconds. It was revealed that the band alignment between the constituents influenced the relative electron extraction process. TiO2(100) showed the fastest overall and hot electron transfer, owing to the largest conduction band and Fermi level offset compared to FA0.83Cs0.17Pb(I0.83Br0.17)3. It was found that an early electron accumulation in these systems can have an influence on the following electron extraction on the several nanosecond time scale. Furthermore, the existence of a potential barrier at the TiO2/perovskite interface was also revealed by performing excitation fluence-dependent measurements.

Ripples in the bottom of the potential energy landscape of metallic glass

In the absence of periodicity, the structure of glass is ill-defined, and a large number of structural states are found at similar energy levels. However, little is known about how these states are connected to each other in the potential energy landscape. We simulate mechanical relaxation by molecular dynamics for a prototypical Cu64.5Zr35.5\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$${{{\\rm{C}}}}{{{{\\rm{u}}}}}_{64.5}{{{\\rm{Z}}}}{{{{\\rm{r}}}}}_{35.5}$$\\end{document} metallic glass and follow the mechanical energy loss of each atom to track the change in the state. We find that the energy barriers separating these states are remarkably low, only of the order of 1 meV, implying that even quantum fluctuations can overcome these potential energy barriers. Our observation of numerous small ripples in the bottom of the potential energy landscape puts many assumptions regarding the thermodynamic states of metallic glasses into question and suggests that metallic glasses are not totally frozen at the local atomic level.

The Association of High-Quality Hospital Use on Health Care Outcomes for Pediatric Congenital Heart Defects in a Universal Health Care System.

Congenital heart disease (CHD) has an incidence of 0.8% to 1.2% worldwide, making it the most common birth defect. Researchers have compared high-volume to low-volume hospitals and found significant hospital-level variation in major complications, health resource utilization, and mortality after CHD surgery. In addition, researchers found critical CHD patients at low-volume/non-teaching facilities to be associated with higher odds of inpatient mortality when compared to CHD patients at high-volume/teaching hospitals (odds ratio 1.76). We examined the effects of high-quality hospital (HQH) use on health care outcomes and health care costs in pediatric CHD care using an instrumental variable (IV) approach. Using nationwide representative claim data from the United States Military Health System from 2016 to 2020, TRICARE beneficiaries with a diagnosis of CHD were tabulated based on relevant ICD-10 (International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision) codes. We examined the relationships between annual readmissions, annual emergency room (ER) use, and mortality and HQH use. We applied both the naive linear probability model (LPM), controlling for the observed patient and hospital characteristics, and the two-stage least squares (2SLS) model, accounting for the unobserved confounding factors. The differential distance between the patient and the closest HQH at the index date and the patient and nearest non-HQH was used as the IV. This protocol was approved by the Institutional Review Board at the University of Maryland, College Park (Approval Number: 1576246-2). The naive LPM indicated that HQH use was associated with a higher probability of annual readmissions (marginal effect, 18%; 95% CI, 0.12 to 0.23). The naive LPM indicated that HQH use was associated with a higher probability of mortality (marginal effect, 2.2%; 95% CI, 0.01 to 0.03). Using the differential distance of closest HQH and non-HQH, we identified a significant association between HQH use and annual ER use (marginal effect, -14%; 95% CI, -0.24 to -0.03). After controlling for patient-level and facility-level covariates and adjusting for endogeneity, (1) HQH use did not increase the probability of more than one admission post 1-year CHD diagnosis, (2) HQH use lowered the probability of annual ER use post 1-year CHD diagnosis, and (3) HQH use did not increase the probability of mortality post 1-year CHD diagnosis. Patients who may have benefited from utilizing HQH for CHD care did not, alluding to potential barriers to access, such as health insurance restrictions or lack of patient awareness. Although we used hospital quality rating for congenital cardiac surgery as reported by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, the contributing data span a 4-year period and may not reflect real-time changes in center performance. Since this study focused on inpatient care within the first-year post-initial CHD diagnosis, it may not reflect the full range of health system utilization. It is necessary for clinicians and patient advocacy groups to collaborate with policymakers to promote the development of an overarching HQH designation authority for CHD care. Such establishment will facilitate access to HQH for military beneficiary populations suffering from CHD.

A89 LIVER TRANSPLANT REFERRAL PATTERNS FROM THE ATLANTIC CANADIAN PROVINCES

Abstract Background End-stage liver disease (ESLD) is one of the leading causes of deaths in Canada. Liver transplantation (LT) is the ultimate treatment option for patients with ESLD. A variety of factors may influence patient outcomes before a liver transplant is offered. There have been no studies looking at the characteristics of patients referred for LT in Atlantic Canada at the prelisting and wait-listing stages. Aims To examine various patient characteristics, including age, sex, MELD score, BMI, rural vs. urban residency, and diagnosis that may be important to the LT work up process. To better understand referral patterns and potential barriers to LT in Atlantic Canada including geographic factors, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the evolution of underlying liver disease. Methods This is a retrospective cohort study using Multiorgan Transplant (MOTP) database to identify all active referrals sent to the Atlantic liver transplant program from four Atlantic Canadian provinces between January 1, 2017 and September 30, 2023. Results There were 533 LT referrals to the MOTP in the observation period. From the listed patients (217), 60% were transplanted and 25% died on the waiting list. Of the patients that did not progress to being listed (56%), 197 (37%) of the referrals were withdrawn and 99 (18.6%) died prior to being listed. There was no significant difference in mean BMI, age, listing MELD-Na, or diagnosis (p=0.35) among active referrals between pre-COVID-19 (Jan.1 2017-Mar.30 2020) and COVID-19 periods (Apr.1 2020-Sept.30 2023). There was 6% reduction in referral number from all Atlantic provinces in COVID vs. pre-COVID period, and 25% reduction in referrals for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in COVID. The ratio of patients ampersand:003C 65 yrs to ampersand:003E/= 65 yrs decreased during COVID (2.88) compared to pre-COVID (3.57). For pre and post COVID period, there were similar numbers of patients withdrawn/died prior to listing (54.7%, 54.8%). There were less patients listed (43.0%, 38.2%) and a decrease in patients transplanted (32%, 28%) pre and post COVID. We analyzed the number of referrals from urban and rural areas. Overall, 33% of referrals were urban and 67% of referrals were rural based on patient residence. The ratio of rural to urban area referrals was 1.80 pre COVID and 2.24 during Covid, indicating an increasing number of referrals from rural centers post-COVID. Conclusions Although there was a robust number of LT referrals during the pandemic, there was a decrease in number of referrals and transplants after COVID. There is a notable decrease in referrals for HCC after COVID. One plausible reason is reduced HCC surveillance during the pandemic. There was an increase in referrals from rural areas during COVID. Further analysis will be needed to determine any factors that affect LT referral patterns., with the goal of identifying reasons for this change and making appropriate recommendations to the MOTP. Funding Agencies None

Structure modification and electrical properties by Mn2O3 dopant addition to SnO2 varistor system

This work aims to study the effect of Mn2O3 additions on the electrical properties and microstructure characteristics of a SnO2-based ceramic varistor system doped additionally with Sb2O5, Cr2O3, and CoO. The specimens were prepared using conventional ceramic processing and homogenized by a high-energy ball milling system using the following composition: (98.99-X) % SnO2 – 0.05% Cr2O3 – 0.05% Sb2O5 – 1.00% CoO – X% Mn2O3 where X = 0.00, 0.05, 0.10, 0.20, 0.50 and 1% mol. Characterization by TG-DSC/DTA, XRD, XPS, and SEM/EDS, and the proposed chemical and defect-formation reactions allowed the conclusion that Mn2O3 additions produce alterations of the microstructure consisting of the in situ formation of the spinel Co2MnO4 secondary phase and modification of the potential barriers in the intergranular regions, where, in addition, oxygen vacancies are formed. With the 0.05 mol % Mn2O3, the grain size (average in the range of 2–3 μm) drops by 20 %, thus augmenting the grain boundaries. Altogether, this leads to a decrease in the nonlinearity coefficient (α) and an advantageous displacement of the breakdown electric field (EB). The 0.05 mol % Mn2O3 specimen compares favorably with the reference material by surpassing the EB value by a factor of 8. Elucidation of Mn2+ and Co2+ in 1 mol % Mn2O3 specimens by XPS suggests the role of MnO and CoO as intermediate phases, essential for Co2MnO4 formation. The pathway for in situ formation of Co2MnO4 is set forth based on the above characterization techniques in conjunction with proposed chemical and defect-formation reactions.

The Role of Culinary Education in Promoting Nutritional Awareness: A Systematic Review

This systematic review investigates the impact of culinary education on enhancing nutritional awareness among diverse populations. With the rising global concern about diet-related health issues, a growing need exists to explore practical strategies for promoting healthier food choices. This study focuses on qualitative analyses of existing literature to comprehensively examine the role of culinary education in fostering nutritional awareness. The review systematically evaluates various culinary education programs, encompassing both formal and informal settings. Qualitative synthesis techniques are employed to analyze data extracted from relevant studies, including five focus group interviews, and observational reports. The research aims to identify patterns, key themes, and best practices associated with culinary education interventions that contribute to heightened nutritional awareness. By synthesizing qualitative findings, the review seeks to shed light on the nuanced aspects of culinary education that influence individuals’ understanding of nutrition. The synthesis also explores the potential barriers and facilitators that impact the effectiveness of culinary education programs in different cultural and socioeconomic contexts. Ultimately, the research aims to provide evidence-based insights for educators, policymakers, and healthcare professionals to refine and implement culinary education initiatives that effectively promote nutritional awareness and contribute to improved public health outcomes.

Rapid and low temperature micro inverted pyramid texturing of silicon via copper catalyzed chemical etching for high efficiency PEDOT:PSS/silicon hybrid solar cells

Here, a rapid, low-temperature yet effective micro-inverted structuring of silicon (Si) via a low thermal budget copper catalyzed chemical etching (CuCCE) has been demonstrated for efficient hybrid heterojunction solar cells (HSCs) based on poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS)/Si in the basic device design ‘Ag/PEDOT:PSS/n-Si/In:Ga’. The inverted pyramidal (IP) arrays have been obtained on a large area of the partially polished (PP) Si surface by the CuCCE in etch bath consisting of Cu(NO3)2/HF/ H2O2 in 100 mM:4.5 M:1.5 M at room temperature (30 °C). The IP-Si shows significantly reduced total surface reflectance (<7 %) than the PP-Si (>30 %) for broad spectral range. The high efficiency device on the interconnected IP-Si surface shows power conversion efficiency (PCE) >10.75 % which is direct enhancement of ∼4 folds (absolute) when compared with the HSCs made on the PP-Si surface. Such high efficiency HSCs employing the CuCCE based inverted structured solar grade Si surface and detailed analyses of PEDOT:PSS/Si interface have rarely been addressed. The junction property has been studied with the help of Nyquist plots and Mott-Schottky (C-V) analyses of impedance sepctroscopy. A direct 2.9 fold enhancement in the recombination resistance along with high barrier potential found for the optimized IP-Si structured HSCs facilitated the improved junction and minimum recombination at the PEDOT:PSS/n-Si interface. The enhanced PCE is primarily attributed to improved light harvesting ability of the IP-Si surface, junction and passivation properties with conformal coverage of the PEDOT:PSS layer. The study will help to explore the high potential of the CuCCE based IP-Si surfaces for future high efficiency devices.

Climatic and soil characteristics account for the genetic structure of the invasive cactus moth Cactoblastis cactorum, in its native range in Argentina.

Knowledge of the physical and environmental conditions that may limit the migration of invasive species is crucial to assess the potential for expansion outside their native ranges. The cactus moth, Cactoblastis cactorum, is native to South America (Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Brazil) and has been introduced and invaded the Caribbean and southern United States, among other regions. In North America there is an ongoing process of range expansion threatening cacti biodiversity of the genus Opuntia and the commercial profits of domesticated Opuntia ficus-indica. To further understand what influences the distribution and genetic structure of this otherwise important threat to native and managed ecosystems, in the present study we combined ecological niche modeling and population genetic analyses to identify potential environmental barriers in the native region of Argentina. Samples were collected on the host with the wider distribution range, O. ficus-indica. Significant genetic structure was detected using 10 nuclear microsatellites and 24 sampling sites. At least six genetic groups delimited by mountain ranges, salt flats and wetlands were mainly located to the west of the Dry Chaco ecoregion. Niche modeling supports that this region has high environmental suitability where the upper soil temperature and humidity, soil carbon content and precipitation were the main environmental factors that explain the presence of the moth. Environmental filters such as the upper soil layer may be critical for pupal survival and consequently for the establishment of populations in new habitats, whereas the presence of available hosts is a necessary conditions for insect survival, upper soil and climatic characteristics will determine the opportunities for a successful establishment.

Characterizing the role of informal payments in the delivery of pathology and clinical laboratory services.

Informal payments (IPs) are unofficial cash or in-kind payments for goods or services that should be covered by the health care system. They are a common but regressive method of financing health care in low- and lower-middle-income countries (LMICs). This study aims to characterize the prevalence and impact of IPs on pathology and laboratory medicine (PALM) services. From September 2021 to September 2022, PALM staff were surveyed about the frequency, determinants, and impacts of IPs in their respective workplaces. In total, 268 responses were received, and 46.6% (125/268) reported experience with IPs. These 125 participants were more likely to work in the public sector and in LMICs. Approximately 65% reported accepting IPs to perform tests or release results. Obtaining faster results was the most commonly perceived reason for patients offering IPs. Overall, participants reported that IPs had more negative than positive impacts on their workplace. This represents a first step in characterizing IPs within PALM and how this practice may affect access to these services in LMICs. Specifically, the fact that faster turnaround time was the most frequently perceived reason for offering IPs uncovers a potential barrier to improving PALM capacity in these regions.