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- El-Zohry, Ahmed M., et al.
(author)
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Highly Emissive Biological Bilirubin Molecules : Shedding New Light on the Phototherapy Scheme
- 2021
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In: Journal of Physical Chemistry B. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1520-6106 .- 1520-5207. ; 125:32, s. 9213-9222
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Bilirubin (BR) is the main end-product of the hemoglobin catabolism. For decades, its photophysics has been mainly discussed in terms of ultrafast deactivation of the excited state in solution, where, indeed, BR shows a very low green emission quantum yield (EQY), 0.03%, resulting from an efficient nonradiative isomerization process. Herein, we present, for the first time, unique and exceptional photophysical properties of solid-state BR, which amend by changing the type of crystal, from a closely packed alpha crystal to an amorphous loosely packed beta crystal. BR alpha crystals show a very bright red emission with an EQY of ca. 24%, whereas beta crystals present, in addition, a low green EQY of ca. 0.5%. By combining density functional theory (DFT) calculations and time-resolved emission spectroscopy, we trace back this dual emission to the presence of two types of BR molecules in the crystal: a stiff monomer, M1, distorted by particularly strong internal H-bonds and a floppy monomer, M2, having a structure close to that of BR in solution. We assign the red strong emission of BR crystals to M1 present in both the alpha and beta crystals, while the low green emission, only present in the amorphous (beta) crystal, is interpreted as M2 emission. Efficient energy-transfer processes from M2 to M1 in the closely packed a crystal are invoked to explain the absence of the green component in its emission spectrum. Interestingly, these unique photophysical properties of BR remain in polar solvents such as water. Based on these unprecedented findings, we propose a new model for the phototherapy scheme of BR inside the human body and highlight the usefulness of BR as a strong biological fluorescent probe.
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| 2. |
- Maniprakash, S., et al.
(author)
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Experimental investigation, modelling and simulation of rate-dependent response of 1-3 ferroelectric composites
- 2016
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In: Mechanics of Materials. - : Elsevier BV. - 0167-6636. ; 94, s. 91-105
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Further development and design of piezoelectric composites enhances the improved use of piezoelectric materials and devices by overcoming their brittleness. In order to engineer this class of materials and to predictably simulate its behaviour, a computationally efficient constitutive model is established in this paper. This contribution deals with the development of a model for piezoelectric composites to capture their effective behaviour. We first discuss a three-dimensional fully coupled electromechanical rate-dependent model for the response of ferroelectric ceramics. Secondly, a simple homogenisation approach is applied to capture the behaviour of composites for various volume fractions of PZT fibres under different loading frequencies. Following this, a finite element formulation is applied in order to study the behaviour of composites. Finally, these two approaches are compared with experimental results.
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| 3. |
- Scown, Murray W., et al.
(author)
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Global change scenarios in coastal river deltas and their sustainable development implications
- 2023
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In: Global Environmental Change. - 0959-3780. ; 82
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Deltas play a critical role in the ambition to achieve global sustainable development given their relatively large shares in population and productive croplands, as well as their precarious low-lying position between upstream river basin development and rising seas. The large pressures on these systems risk undermining the persistence of delta societies, economies, and ecosystems. We analyse possible future development in 49 deltas around the globe under the Shared Socio-economic and Representative Concentration Pathways until 2100. Population density, urban fraction, and total and irrigated cropland fraction are three to twelve times greater in these deltas, on average, than in the rest of the world. Maximum river water discharges are projected to increase by 11–33 % and river sediment discharges are projected to decrease 26–37 % on average, depending on the scenario. Regional sea-level rise reaches almost 1.0 m by 2100 for certain deltas in the worst-case scenario, increasing to almost 2.0 m of relative rise considering land subsidence. Extreme sea levels could be much higher still—reaching over 4.0 m by 2100 for six of the 49 deltas analysed. Socio-economic conditions to support adaptation are the weakest among deltas with the greatest pressures, compounding the challenge of sustainable development. Asian and African deltas stand out as having heightened socio-economic challenges—huge population and land use pressures in most Asian deltas and the Nile delta; low capacity for adaptation in most African deltas and the Irrawaddy delta. Although, deltas in other parts of the world are not immune from these and other pressures, either. Because of unique pressures and processes operating in deltas, as in other “hotspots” such as small islands, mountains, and semi-arid areas, we recommend greater consideration and conceptualisation of environmental processes in global sustainable development agendas and in the Integrated Assessment Models used to guide global policy.
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