| 1. |
- Ademuyiwa, Adesoji O., et al.
(author)
-
Determinants of morbidity and mortality following emergency abdominal surgery in children in low-income and middle-income countries
- 2016
-
In: BMJ Global Health. - : BMJ Publishing Group Ltd. - 2059-7908. ; 1:4
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Child health is a key priority on the global health agenda, yet the provision of essential and emergency surgery in children is patchy in resource-poor regions. This study was aimed to determine the mortality risk for emergency abdominal paediatric surgery in low-income countries globally.Methods: Multicentre, international, prospective, cohort study. Self-selected surgical units performing emergency abdominal surgery submitted prespecified data for consecutive children aged <16 years during a 2-week period between July and December 2014. The United Nation's Human Development Index (HDI) was used to stratify countries. The main outcome measure was 30-day postoperative mortality, analysed by multilevel logistic regression.Results: This study included 1409 patients from 253 centres in 43 countries; 282 children were under 2 years of age. Among them, 265 (18.8%) were from low-HDI, 450 (31.9%) from middle-HDI and 694 (49.3%) from high-HDI countries. The most common operations performed were appendectomy, small bowel resection, pyloromyotomy and correction of intussusception. After adjustment for patient and hospital risk factors, child mortality at 30 days was significantly higher in low-HDI (adjusted OR 7.14 (95% CI 2.52 to 20.23), p<0.001) and middle-HDI (4.42 (1.44 to 13.56), p=0.009) countries compared with high-HDI countries, translating to 40 excess deaths per 1000 procedures performed.Conclusions: Adjusted mortality in children following emergency abdominal surgery may be as high as 7 times greater in low-HDI and middle-HDI countries compared with high-HDI countries. Effective provision of emergency essential surgery should be a key priority for global child health agendas.
|
|
| 2. |
- Hudson, Lawrence N, et al.
(author)
-
The database of the PREDICTS (Projecting Responses of Ecological Diversity In Changing Terrestrial Systems) project
- 2017
-
In: Ecology and Evolution. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 2045-7758. ; 7:1, s. 145-188
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The PREDICTS project-Projecting Responses of Ecological Diversity In Changing Terrestrial Systems (www.predicts.org.uk)-has collated from published studies a large, reasonably representative database of comparable samples of biodiversity from multiple sites that differ in the nature or intensity of human impacts relating to land use. We have used this evidence base to develop global and regional statistical models of how local biodiversity responds to these measures. We describe and make freely available this 2016 release of the database, containing more than 3.2 million records sampled at over 26,000 locations and representing over 47,000 species. We outline how the database can help in answering a range of questions in ecology and conservation biology. To our knowledge, this is the largest and most geographically and taxonomically representative database of spatial comparisons of biodiversity that has been collated to date; it will be useful to researchers and international efforts wishing to model and understand the global status of biodiversity.
|
|
| 3. |
- Urbina, Antonio, et al.
(author)
-
Neutron reflectometry and hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study of the vertical segregation of PCBM in organic solar cells
- 2019
-
In: Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells. - : Elsevier. - 0927-0248 .- 1879-3398. ; 191, s. 62-70
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The composition of the active layer of a benchmark functional glass/ITO/[P3HT:PCBM][1.1:1]/Al organic solar cell has been studied by neutron reflectometry (NR) and hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HAXPES). Thermal annealing was performed in several steps and NR and HAXPES were recorded for every temperature. By fitting the NR results to a model composed of several layers, the scattering length density (SLD) distribution through the sample was obtained, and from this SLD profile, the evolution of the composition of the active layer as a function of temperature was established. For the outer layers, HAXPES results confirm the composition evolution. The results show that PCBM tends to segregate reducing the initial concentration of PCBM in the central part of the active layer and increasing its concentration towards both interfaces. The effect of the Al electrode as studied by HAXPES on the nearest zone of the active layer (up to 50 nm) is to stabilize the P3HT depletion in this area, an effect which is not affected by thermal annealing.
|
|
| 4. |
- O Reese, Matthew, et al.
(author)
-
Consensus stability testing protocols for organic photovoltaic materials and devices
- 2011
-
In: SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS. - : Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam.. - 0927-0248. ; 95:5, s. 1253-1267
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Procedures for testing organic solar cell devices and modules with respect to stability and operational lifetime are described. The descriptions represent a consensus of the discussion and conclusions reached during the first 3 years of the international summit on OPV stability (ISOS). The procedures include directions for shelf life testing, outdoor testing, laboratory weathering testing and thermal cycling testing, as well as guidelines for reporting data. These procedures are not meant to be qualification tests, but rather generally agreed test conditions and practices to allow ready comparison between laboratories and to help improving the reliability of reported values. Failure mechanisms and detailed degradation mechanisms are not covered in this report.
|
|
| 5. |
- Urbina, Marina, et al.
(author)
-
The methodologies and strategies for the development of novel material systems and coatings for applications in extreme environments a critical review
- 2018
-
In: Manufacturing Review. - : EDP Sciences. - 2265-4224. ; 5
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The aim of this paper is to present a critical analysis of existing methodologies, approaches and strategies used to develop materials systems and coatings for uses in extreme environments. The extreme or harsh conditions encompass a large variety of in-service forms such as: extreme temperatures, abrasion, corrosion, impact and radiation that can exist in various applications such as those associated with aerospace and aeronautical engineering, land and marine transport, manufacturing machinery, and even microelectronics products. This article describes how working environment and required service performance of a particular part or structure could affect the choice of materials and surfaces to which it is composed. In addition, the paper explains the relevance that abusive working environments have for industry, especially relating to their costs, being followed by an overview of surface deposition approaches that are currently popularly used to improve performance of mechanical devices that need to combat adverse conditions. Finally, a material system and three kinds of protective coatings that could be used in applications in extreme conditions are described. The critical review is an outcome of the strategic review from the EU H2020 SUPERMAT project which deals with materials and manufacture for the products/structural parts used in extreme conditions.
|
|
