Memorizing Scripture is one of the best ways to carry God-breathed truth, instruction, and reproof wherever we go.
In this study of hospitality we are memorizing Romans 15:5-7, a passage that focuses on glorifying God and living in harmony with one another. This week we will memorize verse 7.
Write this passage down and post it on your mirror or at your desk, in your car or on the fridge—anywhere you'll see it often. Save the image below as your phone's lock screen so you can read these words of truth throughout the day.
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17 thoughts on "Weekly Truth"
Hey all, if you could please pray for me, not to be scared as I practice driving. And to trust that God will help and protect me! Thank you!
I, too am so grateful for this community of SRT. I'm learning and growing from all of you. Even got the book SRT. Reading it slowly as time allows. Praying you all have a wonderful Sunday as you attend your services.
I'm so grateful to have found such an amazing community and these studies have been absolutely amazing. I'm so happy!
i love each and every srt study i do. thank you srt and bring on the isaiah lent study!
Jaclyn praying as you visit this new church. May the Lord guide you. Happy Sunday!!
Oops – then EVEN (not fall) strangers… I failed to proof my comment before I posted.


text:
Q: Proguard obfuscates class despite -keepclasseswithmembernames I try to prevent obfuscation for the classes which contains attribute
@com.evernote.android.state.State on any members
For this i add to my rule:
-keepclasseswithmembernames class * { @com.evernote.android.state.State *;}

And it doesn't work. Classes are obfuscated
But if specify more concrete condition:
-keepclasseswithmembernames class * { @com.evernote.android.state.State <fields>;}

It works fine!
Can somebody clarify why first variant doesn't work?
Build-gradle version is 3.1.2

A: The rule -keepclasseswithmembernames will match only if all specified members match. If you use a wildcard like *, then all fields and methods must be annotated, which is probably not the case.
If you match only fields then it will work.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Performance Evaluation of Sequential Rule Mining Algorithms
A Comprehensive Survey on Affinity Analysis, Bibliomining, and Technology Mining: Past, Present, and Future Research
10.3390/app12105228
Sang Hyuk Im
Se-Woong Baek
Ocaña, L.
Montes, C.
González-Pérez, S.
González-Díaz, B.
Llarena, E.
Characterization of a New Low Temperature Encapsulation Method with Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate under UV Irradiation for Perovskite Solar Cells
Luis Ocaña
1,2,* ,
Carlos Montes
Sara González-Pérez
Benjamín González-Díaz
Elena Llarena
Instituto Tecnológico y de Energías Renovables, S. A. (ITER), 38600 Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
Departamento de Ingeniería Industrial, Escuela Superior de Ingeniería y Tecnología, Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), 38200 Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
Departamento de Didácticas Específicas, Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), 38200 Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(10), 5228; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12105228
Received: 21 April 2022 / Revised: 12 May 2022 / Accepted: 19 May 2022 / Published: 21 May 2022
(This article belongs to the Topic Perovskites for Energy Applications)
In this work, the performance of a new ethylene-vinyl acetate-based low temperature encapsulation method, conceived to protect perovskite samples from UV irradiation in ambient conditions, has been analyzed. To this purpose, perovskite samples consisting of a set of MAPbI3 (CH3NH3PbI3) films and MAPbI3 with an ETL layer were deposited over glass substrates by spin-coating techniques and encapsulated using the new method. The samples were subjected to an UV lamp or to full solar irradiation in ambient conditions, with a relative humidity of 60–80%. Microscope imaging, spectroscopic ellipsometry and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) techniques were applied to analyze the samples. The obtained results indicate UV energy is responsible for the degradation of the perovskite layer. Thus, the cut-UV characteristics of the EVA encapsulate acts as an efficient barrier, allowing the laminated samples to remain stable above 350 h under full solar irradiation compared with non-encapsulated samples. In addition, the FTIR results reveal perovskite degradation caused by UV light. To extend the study to encompass whole PSCs, simulations were carried out using the software SCAPS-1D, where the non-encapsulated devices present a short-circuit current reduction after exposure to UV irradiation, while the encapsulated ones maintained their efficiency.
perovskite; UV light; degradation; absorption; FTIR; encapsulated; ethylene-vinyl acetate
Solar cells based on perovskite structures (PSCs) have registered a significant power conversion efficiency (PCE) increase in recent years, achieving a record of 25.7% for non-stabilized PSCs, 29.8% for perovskite/Si tandem (monolithic) [1] and 17.9% for perovskite modules [2]. These efficiencies have demonstrated PSCs as a promising candidate capable to compete in a silicon dominated solar cells market.
The degradation mechanisms for PSCs are mainly caused by exposure to moisture, oxygen, heat, UV light, light soaking, mechanical stress and reverse bias [3,4]. From all these, moisture is considered the most determining factor in the degradation of the MAPbI3 layer [4], mainly due to the hygroscopic nature of the amine salt [3,5]. Additionally, the composition of perovskite can be affected by defects, which can significantly change its properties depending on the radiation and temperature [6,7].
However, the stability of the achieved PCE remains a key issue to be solved in order to assure the lifetime and the durability of these kinds of technologies. Several research lines have been addressed to enhance stability, such as introducing variations on the structure composition of the perovskites [8,9,10,11,12], the inclusion of new layers, such as hydrophobic films [13,14,15,16], the replacement of the metallic electrode by carbon or a transparent conductive oxide to avoid problems with the hole transporter layer [17,18,19,20] or using encapsulation methods in order to isolate and protect the device from environmental agents [4,21,22,23].
1.1. Degradation Mechanisms
The degradation process in the MAPbI3 layer occurs when the methylamine group (MAI) is lost via sublimation and PbI2 is formed [3,24], according to Equations (1) and (2). MAPbI3−xClx and MAPbI3 present a similar moisture assisted degradation where methylamine group is lost via sublimation and PbI2 is formed. The highly hydrophilic property of perovskite allows the absorption of the water from the surrounding environment [3]. As a result, the perovskite layer, which is originally of a brownish color, gradually turns yellow [4]. Oxygen and ultraviolet radiation can further affect the stability of PSCs, as can be seen in Equations (3) and (4) [3,8], albeit to a lesser extent than humidity [25].
MAPbI3 is one of the most common forms in which the perovskite layer is manufactured. The degradation equations of the perovskite layer under moisture, oxygen and UV light are depicted below [25]:
MAPb I 3 ( s ) + H 2 O ↔ MAI ( aq . ) + Pb I 2 ( s )
MAI ( aq . ) ↔ MA ( aq . ) + HI ( aq . )
4 HI ( aq . ) + O 2 ↔ 2 I 2 ( s ) + H 2 O
2 HI ( aq . ) + h ʋ ↔ H 2 ( g ) + 2 I 2 ( s )
Additionally, under UV irradiation, the presence of oxygen and water molecules at the heterojunction between the electron transport layer (ETL) and the perovskite layer results in a redox reaction within their comprised elements, which leads to the decomposition of the perovskite, reducing the performance of the PSCs [8,26]. The characteristics of the ETL are related to the optoelectronic performance of the device. The long-term stability of the device is influenced by trivalent Ti ions, and oxygen vacancies are generated by the irradiation of TiO2 valence band electrons under ultraviolet (UV) light. The oxygen vacancies on the surface of TiO2 are able to adsorb oxygen and water molecules, accelerating the degradation of the perovskite layer [8].
1.2. Encapsulation of the Perovskites
The parameters that need to be controlled for any encapsulation material are the elastic modulus, the impermeability against water, the volume resistivity and the protection against UV irradiation.
In mechanical terms, the perovskite layer has a thermal expansion coefficient ten times higher than the glass substrate or than the transparent conductive oxide it sits upon, so the mechanical stresses caused by temperature changes results in delamination processes between these layers, accelerating their decomposition [27,28]. Therefore, it is important to choose an encapsulation material that has a low elastic module. Furthermore, as has been described previously, moisture quickly attacks the perovskite structure, so the encapsulation material of choice must have a low rate of water vapor transmission (WVTR) [4]. Additionally, PCSs have high voltages. These voltages increase considerably when they are used to produce modules. High voltage also activates degradation processes on the PCSs, producing chemical reactions that generate harmful by-products. Therefore, it is important to select an encapsulation material that has a high volume resistivity [4]. Finally, as has been described previously, UV irradiation starts degradation processes on the PCSs, which is triggered by photo-degradation [29]. Therefore, it is important to select an encapsulation material that prevents the passage of UV irradiation.
The first encapsulates tried were based on the use of thin layers, formed by either Al2O3 or inorganic/organic multilayers, applied together with an adhesive. This kind of encapsulation presented many advantages, such as having low deposition temperature requirements that prevented the evaporation of organic volatile compounds, and its low WVTR, below 10–5 (g/m2/day) [30,31]. However, the high elastic modulus caused delamination after several thermal cycles. Currently, these encapsulants are still in use with flexible devices [32]. These encapsulates must take special care in sealing the edges, since the humidity that penetrates through the sides of the encapsulation is sufficient to initiate degradation [33,34]. Some of these encapsulants are Teflon [35], Adamantane Nanocomposite [22], UV curable fluoropolymers [36], Al2O3/pv3D3 [32] or organosilicates [37].
Nowadays, the encapsulation of PSCs is based on designs that are used in CIGS and CdTe photovoltaic cells, since these cells have stability issues similar to those of PSCs, mainly in terms of humidity [38]. To solve these issues, glass is used as a cover material together with polymer layers and sealant materials applied at the edges [39]. The most common materials used for encapsulation are epoxy resin [40,41], ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) [42,43], surlyn [41,42,43,44,45], ethylene-vinyl-alcohol (EVOH) [46], poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET) [41,47], poluisobutylene (PBI) [48], poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) [41], UV-curable glue [49] and polyolefilm [43]. From all of these materials, EVA is the most widely used encapsulant in the photovoltaic industry, due to its low cost, high light transmittance (93%; freestanding EVA) and low curing temperature (140 °C) [4].
1.3. Aim and Scope
In this work, a new low-temperature encapsulation method, based on the use of EVA, has been developed to protect PSCs from UV irradiation and environment humidity. In order to analyze it, a research procedure has been carried out in three stages. The first one consists of the fabrication of four sets of samples: one composed of non encapsulated perovskite, one composed of non-encapsulated perovskite and ETL, one composed of encapsulated perovskite and one composed of encapsulated perovskite and ETL. In the second stage, all the samples were exposed to UV irradiation and full solar irradiation in humid environments. In the third and last stage, the samples were characterized in order to infer their degree of degradation.
2.1. Sample Preparation
All the fabrication processes were carried out inside an ISO7 cleanroom, operating at 23 °C and at a relative humidity (RH) from 30% to 40%. Due to the relevance and influence of the RH [50] and the temperature [51] on the fabrication procedures, these parameters were constantly monitored during fabrication steps.
Then, 25 mm × 25 mm and 2 mm thick soda line silica glass substrates were cleaned sequentially by ultrasonication in a 2% soap solution, deionized water, acetone and 2-propanol and dried with nitrogen [52]. After that, an ultraviolet–ozone (UVO) treatment was used to remove the contaminants from the surface of the samples in order to facilitate the interface between the substrate and the electron transport layer [53,54]
2.2. Synthesis and Sample Fabrication
The synthesis of the perovskite precursor solution was performed by stirring PbI2 (Lead (II) iodide, Sigma Aldrich 211168, St. Louis, MO, USA) and CH3NH3I (MAI 98%, TCI M2556) at a molar ratio of 1:1, using a mixture of N,N-Dimethylformamide (DMF 99.8%, Sigma Aldrich 227056) and Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO 99.9%, Sigma Aldrich 276855) with a 9:1 (v/v) ratio at 75 °C for 50 min and at room temperature overnight [55]. The obtained solution was passed through a 0.22 μm Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) filter prior to deposition [56]. A volume of 100 μL of perovskite precursor solution was dispensed on top of glass substrates and then was subjected to a spin rate of 5000 rpm for 30 s. During the spinning, a 3:1 volume ratio of a non-polar solvent (chlorobenzene) was dropped over the substrate, achieving a layer thickness of 300 nm [55], and the RH inside the chamber was maintained between 8–10%, with a constant flow of clean dry air (CDA) [55]. Finally, the sample was annealed at 100 °C for 10 min inside a furnace to evaporate any residual solvent and to promote crystallization [57]. Samples were stored in a vacuum desiccator to avoid degradation [58,59].
The synthesis of the electron transport layer (ETL) was performed by dropwise adding a solution of 175 μL of Titanium (IV) isopropoxide (TTIP 97%, Sigma Aldrich 205273) in 1.25 mL of EtOH (Ethanol 99.9%, Merck 1.00983.2500, Kenilworth, NJ, USA) into a solution of 17.5 μL of 2 M HCl (Hydrochloric acid 37%, Labkem CHAC-0AA-2K5, Dukinfield, UK) in 1.25 mL of EtOH [60]. A 0.22 μm PTFE filter was used to obtain the solution. Finally, the precursor solution (150 μL) was dispensed on top of glass substrates, and then the samples were spin-coated at 2000 rpm for 60 s. To obtain a thickness layer of 80 nm, a double ETL was deposited using the spin-coating technique. After the deposition, the first layer was heated to 150 °C for 30 min, and the second layer was spin-coated and heated to 500 °C for 60 min.
2.3. Encapsulation of the Samples
The encapsulating process was performed by using temperature and pressure lamination techniques [61], in which a sheet of commercial EVA (Encapsolar PC-135 A, from Stevens Urethane, Easthampton, MA, USA) was placed between the perovskite layer and the cover soda lime silica glass. Because the assembled sandwich could lose its integrity during the thermal process, a thick steel plate was used to apply uniform pressure. In order to take into account the steel thermal inertia, the samples were cured at 100 °C for 165 min and cooled down for 125 min before removing the steel plate.
Two kinds of samples were encapsulated. The architecture of the samples type (a) consists of a perovskite thin film, deposited over a glass substrate and encapsulated with a layer of EVA and yet another glass. Type (b) also adds an ETL layer between glass and perovskite (Figure 1).
2.4. Characterization
A digital microscope (U500X by Unimake, Campo Mourão, Brazil) with a focus range from 15 mm to 40 mm and a magnification range of 50×–500× was used during the degradation processes to analyze the samples.
Ellipsometry measurements were carried out using the spectroscopic ellipsometer M-2000 from J. A. Woollam Co., Inc. (Lincoln, NE, USA), with a spectral range from 245 nm to 1000 nm, a laser light source (FLS) and a xenon arc lamp, with a spot of 500 µm. CompleteEASE software, from the same manufacturer, was used to analyze the optical properties of the layers, obtaining the refractive index (n) and the extinction coefficient (k), as well as the thickness of the layers from the reflectance measurements. On the other hand, the mobility range of the emitter unit and receiver unit, from 45° to 90°, allow transmittance measurements, which allows calculating the absorbance curves and obtain the bandgap [62,63].
Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy was carried out using an IFS 66/S Bruker, (Bruker, Hanau, Germany) equipment with full spectral range coverage from the very far infrared (<5 cm−1) up to the vacuum UV (>55,000 cm−1), and a spectral resolving power of 100,000:1 or <0.1 cm−1 spectral resolution and peak to peak noise of less than 10−5 AU achieved within 1 min and 4 cm−1 spectral resolution. Spectra were used to establish the MAPbI3 characteristic functional groups by localizing their indicator peaks and to observe their evolution as the degradation processes took place.
2.5. Degradation of the Samples
To evaluate the light induced degradation of the perovskite films due to UV irradiation, two different setups were used. First setup consisted in a UV Lamp of 24 W (365–395 nm), placed at 90° over the samples. In the second setup, the samples were placed outdoors at the Technological and Renewable Energy Institute in Canary Islands (28.071402518377827, −16.514065045493652) on a support inclined at 30 degrees above the horizontal and oriented to the south in order to receive full solar irradiation.
To study the evolution of the degradation process due to UV irradiation, the encapsulated and non-encapsulated MAPbI3 samples were exposed to both irradiation sources, varying the irradiation time from 50 min to 70 min. The total irradiation supplied to the samples was 34,157 W/m2 (50 min) and 47,820 W/m2 (70 min) for the UV lamp and 34,872 W/m2 (50 min) and 50,431 W/m2 (70 min) for the full solar exposure. Additionally, the encapsulated MAPbI3 samples were further exposed to full solar irradiation (6051 kW/m2, 350 h) in order to analyze their stability over a longer period of irradiation time. Finally, to assess the influence of the ETL film during the UV degradation process, the encapsulated and non-encapsulated MAPbI3 with ETL samples were exposed to 47,820 W/m2 (70 min) by using the UV Lamp.
3. Experimental Results
3.1. Transmittance and Visual Analysis
Figure 2 shows a spectral transmittance study performed on the glass and the EVA material used to encapsulate the samples. These data are shown together with the spectrum of the full solar irradiation (AM 1.5 G) and of the UV lamp used in the degradation processes. As is shown, the encapsulant built of glass and EVA acts as an effective UV block agent below 400 nm.
Figure 3 shows the transformation observed on the MAPbI3 and MAPbI3 with ETL samples, encapsulated and non-encapsulated, during the degradation process, starting from their pristine stages (Figure 3a,d,g,i,k). As can be seen, the non-encapsulated MAPbI3 samples show a similar visual degradation when exposed to both full solar irradiation and UV lamp irradiation. The non-encapsulated samples present decoloring into a dull brown color after 50 min of exposure (Figure 3b,e), turning to a yellowish shade after 70 min (Figure 3c,f). These results are attributed to a degradation mechanism triggered by UV irradiation in a humid environment [4,46,64,65,66]. However, the visual appearance of the encapsulated MAPbI3 samples remained stable above 350 h under full solar irradiation (Figure 3g,h). Additionally, although the non-encapsulated samples of MAPbI3, with and without the ETL layer, show a similar degradation, the ones with ETL acquire the characteristic yellowish shade after 70 min of UV irradiation (Figure 3j), indicating that the ETL layer somehow delays the degradation. In addition, the encapsulated MAPbI3 with the ETL layer sample remained stable after 70 min exposure (Figure 3l).
3.2. Spectroscopic Ellipsometer
The spectroscopic ellipsometer was used to obtain the absorbance curves for the produced samples according to their composition.
3.2.1. Precursors, Solvents and MAPbI3
According to Equation (1), the decomposition of perovskite results in the appearance of PbI2 and CH3NH3I. Therefore, absorbance curves were performed to fresh deposited layers of MAPbI3, PbI2 and CH3NH3I in order to obtain their characteristic peaks (Figure 4). Thus, the PbI2 absorbance spectrum presents three characteristic peaks, centered in 330 nm, 420 nm and close to 500 nm, while the CH3NH3I only presents absorbance in the UV range of the spectrum, with a peak at 300 nm. The MAPbI3 sample shows broader absorbance bands, in comparison with PbI2, although its characteristic peaks are shifted 50 nm to longer wavelengths. Furthermore, a band gap of 1.6 eV was calculated from the absorbance spectrum of the MAPbI3 sample [62,63].
3.2.2. Non-Encapsulated and Encapsulated MAPbI3 Samples
The absorbance measurements were made to the MAPbI3 encapsulated and non-encapsulated samples, before and after subjecting them to the degradation processes.
The absorbance spectra of the encapsulated and non-encapsulated samples after being subjected to full solar irradiation and UV lamp are shown in Figure 5a. As can be seen, the absorbance of the encapsulated and non-encapsulated layers is similar, independently of the light source used. Therefore, the degradation mechanisms involved could be similar under both irradiation methods. In relation to the pristine samples, the absorbance curves of the non-encapsulated MAPbI3 samples show a decrease between 400 nm and 500 nm after 50 min of irradiation. This decrease is extended to 760 nm after 70 min, the moment at which the absorbance curve becomes similar to the PbI2 one. Additionally, the band gap increases from 1.6 to 2.2 eV. Since the degradation experienced by MAPbI3 was the same under both kinds of irradiation sources, it can be deduced that it was caused solely by the UV part of the spectrum [67,68,69].
Furthermore, in order to analyze the effect of the encapsulation on the stability of the MAPbI3 samples, they were exposed to 350 h of full solar irradiation. It must be taken into account that the study of the encapsulated samples should start from 400 nm due to the absorption of the EVA sheet in the UV range. As can be seen, in relation to the pristine samples, the absorption spectra of the exposed samples present only a slight decrease of around 450 nm due to the encapsulation procedure (Figure 5b).
3.2.3. Non-Encapsulated and Encapsulated MAPbI3 with ETL Samples
Absorption curves were determined from non-encapsulated and encapsulated MAPbI3 with ETL samples before and after being subjected to the degradation process. Additionally, an absorption curve was determined by a pristine sample made of ETL deposited on a glass substrate.
If the absorption curves of the pristine samples are compared with the encapsulated and non-encapsulated samples after subjecting them to 70 min of UV irradiation, it can be seen that the non-encapsulated samples show a reduction in the absorbance curve between 400 and 500 nm (see Figure 6). However, the encapsulated ones keep their absorption curve unaltered. In both cases, the calculated band gap remained the same (1.6 eV).
Furthermore, considering only the non-encapsulated samples that went through the degradation process, by comparing Figure 5 and Figure 6, it is possible to infer that the addition of the ETL layer resulted in a reduction in the MAPbI3 degradation, as can be seen at 470 nm (29.68%), at 500 nm (25.35%) and at 750 nm (19.69%). In the same line, non-encapsulated samples without ETL show a similar behavior with a further decrease in the absorption intensity at 470 nm (37.20%), at 500 nm (37.00%) and at 750 nm (28.15%). Therefore, both samples have a similar shift trend, but when the ETL layer is introduced, the absorption intensity peaks show a minor decrease. These results are attributed to the ETL layer effects, which protect the perovskite and EVA layers from degradation by UV irradiation. The ETL layer absorb a fraction of the UV irradiation (from 200 to 350 nm), as shown in Figure 6, therefore reducing the total UV irradiation interacting with the perovskite.
3.3. Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR)
PbI2, CH3NH3I as precursor of perovskite and DMF, DMSO as the solvents used for the solution, together with MAPbI3 samples, were analyzed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy in order to compare their characteristic functional groups.
The FTIR spectra for DMF and DMSO solvents (Figure 7A) show that the C=O bond strength are situated at 1671 cm−1 in DMF [70,71], and that the stretching vibration of S=O is located at 1045 cm−1 in DMSO [71,72]. Furthermore, the DMF spectrum shows a symmetrical and asymmetrical C-H bending vibrations related to the two bands located at 1457 cm−1 and 1388 cm−1, respectively [70]. As can be seen, all these bands disappear from the FTIR spectra obtained from the MAPbI3 sample.
The PbI2, CH3NH3I and MAPbI3 FTIR spectra are shown in Figure 7B. The 1480 cm−1 (symmetric NH3+ bend), the 906 cm−1 (NH3+/CH3 rock) and the 3081 cm−1 (N-H stretch) correspond to CH3NH3I [29,73]. The peaks located at 755 cm−1 and 613 cm−1 could be attributed to PbI2 vibration modes [74].
As can be seen, the characteristic peaks identified for the precursors contribute to define the ones seen in the perovskite FTIR spectra.
Non-encapsulated and encapsulated MAPbI3 samples were prepared and subjected to the degradation process. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analysis was performed to the samples before (pristine) and after the degradation process.
By comparing the FTIR spectra of the perovskite samples before and after subjecting them to the degradation process, it is possible to observe the existence of vibration modes clearly defined in the pristine perovskite, which disappear after the degradation process takes places. These are at 3181 cm−1 (N-H stretch), 3124 cm−1 (N-H stretch) and 1465 cm−1 (symmetric NH3+ bend) [73]. In fact, having exposed the samples to full solar and UV lamp irradiations, a slight decrease in these peaks happened after 50 min degradation, and they completely disappeared after 70 min degradation, as can be seen in Figure 8A. Since this phenomenon turned out to be the same in both cases of degradation, it is possible to infer that the UV range of the spectra was the agent responsible for said degradation. This hypothesis was also supported by the FTIR spectra performed to the encapsulated samples that were subjected to 350 h of full solar irradiation, where the observed vibration modes remained stable due to the UV-cut properties of the EVA material applied (see Figure 8B).
Finally, it is important to notice that the intermediate complex sensitive to hydration, which lies at 1660 cm−1 [75], was not observed in any of the samples. Therefore, no degradation due to humidity was apparent, despite performing all the tests in ambient conditions.
3.3.3. Non-Encapsulated and Encapsulated MAPbI3-ETL Samples
The degradation of the MAPbI3 layer was also evaluated in terms of its interaction with an ETL layer, due to being exposed to UV irradiation. In Figure 9, a reduction in the characteristic peaks can be observed at 3181 cm−1 (38.71%), at 3124 cm−1 (36.20%) and at 1465 cm−1 (40.79%). The observed intensity reductions in the degraded MAPbI3 samples for these peaks were 73.73%, 72.91% and 69.79%, respectively. This difference suggests that the degradation of the MAPbI3 with ETL samples is lower than that of MAPbI3 ones. Finally, no degradation was observed in the encapsulated samples.
4. Simulations
4.1. Parameters Used in the Simulation
In order to evaluate the effect of the degradation of the perovskite layer on the device performance, the SCAPS-1D simulation software, developed by the Department of Electronics and Information Systems (ELIS) of the University of Ghent (Belgium), which has been widely used for the study of PSCs [73,74,75,76,77,78,79], was applied.
For the purpose of the simulation, a planar structure device made of glass/FTO/ETL/MAPbI3/HTL (Figure 10) was implemented using the parameters listed in Table 1.
The absorption coefficient, the thickness and the band gap values of the layers were obtained from experimental measurements made with the spectroscopic ellipsometer adjusted with the theoretical models proposed by the CompleatEase software [18]. All other parameters have been obtained from the literature.
Knowing how the band gap and the absorption coefficient curves of the device's layers vary due to the exposure to UV irradiation, an extrapolation of its degradation can be obtained by using the SCAPS 1-D software in terms of its short-circuit current (Jsc), open circuit voltage (Voc), fill factor (FF) and energy efficiency (PCE).
4.2.1. Non-Encapsulated MAPbI3 Samples
The IV curves obtained by the simulation software for the non-encapsulated MAPbI3 samples, before and after the irradiation process, are shown in Figure 11. These results indicate an efficiency decrease taking place in the samples. This decrease is slightly higher in the samples exposed to solar irradiation than in the ones exposed to the UV lamp. These results are mainly due to exposure to higher levels of irradiation after 70 min: 50,432 W/m2 under full solar irradiation versus 47,820 W/m2 under UV lamp. In particular, it can be seen that the degradation affects the current intensity of the device, showing a notable reduction in the short-circuit current, going from 21.66 mA/cm2 (pristine) to 19.07 mA/cm2 (exposed to UV lamp) and 19.28 mA/cm2 (exposed to full solar irradiation), while the open circuit voltage remains constant, around 1.08 V (Table 2).
4.2.2. Encapsulated MAPbI3 Samples
The effect of the encapsulation on the devices' performance has also been evaluated after 350 h of exposure to solar irradiation (Figure 12). During the encapsulation process, a slight reduction of 0.87% in the PCE was observed, remaining constant from that moment and until complete 350 h, corresponding to a total irradiance of 6051 kW/m2.
Table 3 shows that the observed reduction was mainly due to the decrease in the open circuit current, going from 21.66 mA/cm2 (non-encapsulate pristine sample) to 20.61 mA/cm2 (encapsulated pristine sample) and to 20.58 mA/cm2 (encapsulate sample exposed to full solar irradiation). However, the open circuit voltage remained constant (around 1.09 V).
The performance of a new encapsulation method to protect perovskite solar cells from external agents such as moisture, oxygen, heat and UV light has been tested by monitoring the degradation of the perovskite layer due to full solar irradiation and UV light under normal humidity conditions. In these conditions, the MAPbI3 perovskite samples that were not encapsulated showed visual and optical degradation after they were subjected to UV irradiation.
Thus, optical ellipsometry analysis of non-encapsulated MAPbI3 samples showed a decrease in the absorbance of the samples from 400 nm to 700 nm, whereas the band gap increased from 1.6 eV to 2.2 eV, requiring more energy to generate the electron hole pair. Moreover, the FTIR analyses showed an intensity reduction in the functional groups of ammoniums, defined by the vibration modes located at 3181 cm−1 (N-H stretch), 3124 cm−1 (N-H stretch) and 1465 cm−1 (symmetric NH3+ bend), which can be used as indicator peaks marking the degradation of perovskite caused by the UV light.
However, the encapsulated samples endured UV irradiation, keeping the absorbance curves (by using a spectrometer) and the intensity of the characteristic peaks of the ammonium functional groups (by using FTIR techniques) constant after 350 h of continuous irradiation. Furthermore, the intermediate complex found at 1660 cm−1, which is sensitive to hydration [75], was not observed in any of the samples. All these results indicate that the new encapsulation method used in this study, protects the perovskite layer from degradation due to UV irradiation at ambient conditions.
Additionally, the results obtained from optical ellipsometry and FTIR measurements indicate that the addition of an ETL layer does not affect the device light absorption characteristics and keeps the band gap stable. Interesting enough, the results also indicate that the addition of an ETL layer to the non-encapsulated samples delays the degradation process due to a decreased UV absorption by the perovskite and EVA layers, since the ETL layer acts as a shield, absorbing part of the incident UV irradiation. However, studies regarding longer periods of exposure are still necessary in order to fully characterize this phenomenon.
Finally, the parameters measured on the pristine samples and the ones that were subjected to UV irradiation at ambient conditions, together with other parameters obtained in the literature, allowed us to run SCAPS-1D simulations in order to estimate the performance of their corresponding PSCs. The results obtained also confirm that encapsulated devices remained stable under different solar conditions, while the non-encapsulated ones showed a remarkable reduction in their short circuit current due to UV irradiation.
Conceptualization, L.O., C.M., S.G.-P. and B.G.-D.; methodology, L.O., C.M., S.G.-P. and B.G.-D.; software, L.O.; validation, L.O., C.M., S.G.-P. and B.G.-D.; formal analysis, L.O., C.M., S.G.-P. and B.G.-D.; investigation, L.O. and C.M.; resources, L.O., C.M., S.G.-P. and B.G.-D.; data curation, L.O.; writing—original draft preparation, L.O.; writing—review and editing, L.O., C.M., S.G.-P. and B.G.-D.; visualization, L.O., C.M., S.G.-P. and B.G.-D.; supervision, Montes, S.G.-P., B.G.-D. and E.L.; project administration, E.L.; funding acquisition, L.O., C.M. and E.L. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
This research and the APC has been funded by Interreg (V-A—Spain-Portugal (Madeira-Açores-Canarias—MAC) 2014–2020), Grant number: MAC2/1.1a/395.
This work has been developed within the MACLAB-PV project framework, which has been co-financed by the INTERREG Madeira-Azores-Canarias Territorial Cooperation Programme (MAC) 2014–2020. 2nd Call. Axis 1—Enhancing research, technological development and innovation.
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Figure 1. Schematic representation of the two kinds of encapsulated sample architectures: without ETL (a) and with ETL (b).
Figure 2. Transmittance of the glass and EVA (Y-axis on the left) against the irradiance of the AM1.5 spectrum and the UV lamp (Y-axis on the right).
Figure 3. Microscope images (500×) of the samples during the degradation process.
Figure 4. Absorbance curve of the MAPbI3, PbI2 and CH3NH3I pristine samples.
Figure 5. (a) Absorbance curve of non-encapsulated MAPbI3 samples after 50 min and 70 min under the solar spectrum and the UV irradiation lamp. (b) Absorbance curve of MAPbI3 + EVA before and after 350 h under solar spectrum.
Figure 6. Absorbance curves of ETL and ETL + MAPbI3 before degradation process and the absorbance curve of ETL + MAPbI3 and ETL + MAPbI3 + EVA after 70 min under UV irradiation lamp.
Figure 7. (A) FTIR spectrum of MAPbI3 versus DMF and DMSO solvents and (B) FTIR spectrum of MAPbI3 versus PbI2 and CH3NH3I. (* is used to appoint the maximum peaks).
Figure 8. (A) MAPbI3 before and after 50 min and 70 min under the solar spectrum and the UV irradiation lamp and (B) MAPbI3 + EVA before and after 350 h under solar spectrum. (* is used to appoint the maximum peaks).
Figure 9. FTIR spectrum of ETL and ETL + MAPbI3 before degradation process against FTIR spectrum of ETL + MAPbI3 and ETL + MAPbI3 + EVA after 70 min under UV irradiation lamp. (* is used to appoint the maximum peaks).
Figure 10. Energy diagram of the simulated device.
Figure 11. IV curve of the non-encapsulated MAPbI3 samples before and after the degradation process with UV lamp and full solar irradiation.
Figure 12. IV curve of non-encapsulated pristine sample (black line), encapsulated pristine sample (orange line) and encapsulated sample, after 350 h exposed to full solar irradiation (red line).
Table 1. Parameters used for device simulation in SCAPS-1D software.
TiO2 (ETL)
CH3NH3PbI3 (Absorber Film)
Spiro-OMeTAD (HTM)
Thickness (nm) 354.19 89 439.07 136.50
Bandgap (eV), Eg 3.89 3.4 1.59 3.17
Electron Affinity (eV), λ 4 [76,77,78] 4 [76,79] 3.9 [76,80] 2.05 [76]
Dielectric Permittivity (relative), ɛr 9 [76,77,78] 9 [76,79] 6.5 [76,77] 3 [76]
Effective Conduction Band Density (cm−3), CB 2.2 × 1018 [76,78] 1.0 × 1019 [76,79] 1.8 × 1018 [76] 1.0 × 1021 [76]
Effective Valence Band Density (cm−3), VB 1.8 × 1019 [76,78] 1.0 × 1019 [76,79] 1.8 × 1019 [76] 1.0 × 1021 [76]
Electron thermal velocity (cm/S) 1.0 × 107 [77] 1.0 × 107 1.0 × 107 [77,80] 1.0 × 107 [80]
Hole thermal velocity (cm/S) 1.0 × 107 [77] 1.0 × 107 1.0 × 107 [77,80] 1.0 × 107 [80]
Electron Mobility (cm2/V·S), μn 20 [76,77,78] 0.02 [76,79] 0.5 [76] 2 [76]
Hole Mobility (cm2/V·S), μp 10 [76,77,78] 2 [76,79] 0.5 [76] 0.01 [76,80]
Donor Concentration ND (cm−3) 2.0 × 1019 [76,78] 1.0 × 1019 [76] 0 [80] 0 [80]
Acceptor Concentration NA (cm−3) 0 0 [79] 1.0 × 1016 1.0 × 1019 [76]
Capture Cross Section for Electrons and Holes (cm2) 1.0 × 1013 [80] 1.0 × 1015 [80]
Defect density (cm−3) 1.0 × 1013 [76] 1.0 × 1016 [76] 1.0 × 1018 1.0 × 1013 [76]
Table 2. Non-encapsulated MAPbI3 samples results before and after the irradiation process.
Voc (V)
Jsc (mA/cm2)
FF (%)
PCE (%)
MAPbI3 1.09 21.66 68.3 16.18
UV Lamp (47,820 W/m2) 1.08 19.07 65.0 13.47
Full solar irradiation (40,432 W/m2) 1.08 18.28 64.7 12.83
Table 3. Simulation results: non-encapsulated pristine sample, encapsulate pristine sample and encapsulate sample, after 350 h exposed to full solar irradiation.
MAPbI3 + EVA 1.09 20.61 68.0 15.31
MAPbI3 + EVA
(full irradiation 6051 kW/m2) 1.09 20.58 67.8 15.23
Ocaña, L.; Montes, C.; González-Pérez, S.; González-Díaz, B.; Llarena, E. Characterization of a New Low Temperature Encapsulation Method with Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate under UV Irradiation for Perovskite Solar Cells. Appl. Sci. 2022, 12, 5228. https://doi.org/10.3390/app12105228
Ocaña L, Montes C, González-Pérez S, González-Díaz B, Llarena E. Characterization of a New Low Temperature Encapsulation Method with Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate under UV Irradiation for Perovskite Solar Cells. Applied Sciences. 2022; 12(10):5228. https://doi.org/10.3390/app12105228
Ocaña, Luis, Carlos Montes, Sara González-Pérez, Benjamín González-Díaz, and Elena Llarena. 2022. "Characterization of a New Low Temperature Encapsulation Method with Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate under UV Irradiation for Perovskite Solar Cells" Applied Sciences 12, no. 10: 5228. https://doi.org/10.3390/app12105228
Appl. Sci., EISSN 2076-3417, Published by MDPI

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus is the name of a best selling book authored by John Gray back in 2012. It is a great communication guide for couples, with the focus on understanding how the other thinks and feels. Far from rocket science, but important in the evolution and success of relationships.


text:
This Plus-Size Model's Thoughts About Body Confidence Will Make You See Yourself Differently Forever
"I don't have a gorgeous body, I don't think I'm beautiful. But look at where I'm at."
Ladies, listen up: Luzmaria Vargas has a message to share and it's one we all need to hear.
After being chosen to appear in MAC Cosmetics' new video campaign for their MACnificent Me project, the California native is urging all women to look at their bodies in a much more positive light and realize that real beauty is about how you feel more than anything else.
"I don't have a gorgeous body; I don't think I'm beautiful," she says in the emotional clip. "But look where I'm at. I don't need a gorgeous body. It was really the inside that counted, and I don't need to be size-two-skinny. I'm here."
Luzmaria also hopes that her appearance in the campaign will show plus-size women that it's okay to be proud of your body, no matter what it's been through or what others say.
"I know there are so many women out there that won't express themselves for the fact that they're overweight, but if I did it, they can all do it," she says. "I hope this helps someone out there tucked in their room, who doesn't want to go out and show themselves. So just go for it."
Learn more about Luzmaria's message in the video below, and get ready to feel inspired:
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Amazing Plus-Size Style News!
Plus-Size Models Recreate Sports Illustrated Cover for a Gorgeous Calendar


The Legacy Performance Tuxedo is tailored to fit all body types - including big and tall sizes.
Features CoolMax® performance stretch fabric which offers added comfort and breathability.
Features a satin notch lapel and satin double besom pockets.
ultra slim fit pants with no stripe and buttons to accommodate suspenders.


Live in Vilonia, but still want flowers without making the drive? Don't worry, we deliver. Our Conway team is willing to provide the best delivery service. Flowers, bouquets, gifts and more can be delivered to your door.
Head west on US-64 Business/Main St. toward Elizabeth St. Take a slight right onto US-64 West. Then turn left onto 3rd Ave. Then take a right on Maple St. Turn left at the 1st cross street onto 4th Ave, and the Conway location will be on your right. For more directions or alternate routs, see Google Maps.


text:
package links

import (
	"encoding/json"
	"fmt"
	"net/url"
	"time"

	log "github.com/Sirupsen/logrus"
	"github.com/kennygrant/sanitize"
	"github.com/satori/go.uuid"

	"github.com/jguyomard/slackbot-links/src/mercury"
)

type Link struct {
	ID            string     `json:"id"`
	URL           string     `json:"url"`
	Title         string     `json:"title"`
	Author        string     `json:"author"`
	Excerpt       string     `json:"excerpt"`
	DatePublished *time.Time `json:"published_at,omitempty"`
	ImageURL      string     `json:"image_url"`
	Content       string     `json:"content"`
	SharedAt      *time.Time `json:"shared_at"`
	SharedBy      struct {
		ID   string `json:"id"`
		Name string `json:"name"`
	} `json:"shared_by"`
	SharedOn struct {
		ID   string `json:"id"`
		Name string `json:"name"`
	} `json:"shared_on"`
}

func NewLink(url string) *Link {
	Init()

	l := new(Link)
	l.URL = url
	now := time.Now()
	l.SharedAt = &now
	return l
}

func (l *Link) SetTitle(title string) {
	l.Title = title
}

func (l *Link) SetExcerpt(excerpt string) {
	l.Excerpt = sanitize.HTML(excerpt)
}

func (l *Link) SetImageURL(imageURL string) {
	l.ImageURL = imageURL
}

func (l *Link) SetSharedAt(date *time.Time) {
	l.SharedAt = date
}

func (l *Link) SetSharedBy(userID, userName string) {
	l.SharedBy.ID = userID
	l.SharedBy.Name = userName
}

func (l *Link) SetSharedOn(channelID, channelName string) {
	l.SharedOn.ID = channelID
	l.SharedOn.Name = channelName
}

// GetID returns current ID or generate new one
func (l *Link) GetID() string {
	if l.ID == "" {
		l.ID = uuid.NewV4().String()
	}
	return l.ID
}

// FindDuplicates checks if this link is already posted?
func (l *Link) FindDuplicates() *SearchResult {
	params := url.Values{}
	params.Set("url", l.URL)
	search, _ := Search(params)
	return search
}

// Save this link to Elastic Search
func (l *Link) Save() bool {

	// Log
	log.WithFields(log.Fields{
		"action": "save",
		"linkID": l.GetID(),
		"link":   l,
	}).Info("New link")

	// Enrich this link
	l.enrichMetasFromContent()

	// Save to Elastic Search
	_, err := es.Index().
		Index(esIndex).
		Type(esType).
		Id(l.GetID()).
		BodyJson(l).
		Refresh(true).
		Do()

	if err != nil {
		resJSON, _ := json.Marshal(l)
		fmt.Printf("ES Error: %s\n  -> link=%+v\n  -> linkJSON=%s\n", err, l, string(resJSON))
		return false
	}

	return true
}

func (l *Link) Delete() bool {

	// Log
	log.WithFields(log.Fields{
		"action":    "delete",
		"linkID":    l.GetID(),
		"linkURL":   l.URL,
		"linkTitle": l.Title,
	}).Info("Delete link")

	// Delete from Elastic Search
	_, err := es.Delete().
		Index(esIndex).
		Type(esType).
		Id(l.GetID()).
		Do()

	if err != nil {
		fmt.Printf("ES Error: %s\n", err)
		return false
	}

	return true
}

func (l *Link) enrichMetasFromContent() {
	infos, err := mercury.ParseURL(l.URL)
	if err != nil {
		return
	}

	if len(infos.Title) > 0 {
		l.SetTitle(infos.Title)
	}
	if len(infos.Excerpt) > 0 {
		l.SetExcerpt(infos.Excerpt)
	}
	if len(infos.ImageURL) > 0 {
		l.SetImageURL(infos.ImageURL)
	}

	l.Author = infos.Author
	l.Content = sanitize.HTML(infos.Content)

	datePublished, err := time.Parse("2006-01-02T15:04:05.000Z", infos.DatePublished)
	if err == nil {
		l.DatePublished = &datePublished
	}
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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An inside picture from the Oscars after-party shows Lady Gaga beaming as Madonna cuddles her from behind.
Two of the biggest pop stars Lady Gaga and Madonna have shared a rather cold relationship over the past couple of years. The two are also very often compared to each other, leading to speculations that they are rivals. Well, let the bygones be bygones and it looks like the two women believe in it too and are ready to set off on a fresh journey as friends. An inside picture of the Oscars after-party proves that the two have indeed made peace and netizens are going nuts over them.
The picture, posted exclusively by TIME, shows Gaga beaming as Madonna embraces her. Gaga clearly is in love with her award as she's seen clutching her trophy for dear life. Madonna is also seen caressing Gaga's cheeks lovingly as she wears a champagne satin outfit with an elaborate headpiece. A picture does speak a thousand words and this just is the perfect example. There could be no better of saying this but things do seem to be going great between them!
The feud between Gaga and Madonna reportedly started in 2011, when Madonna and many music fans accused Gaga of copying the former's 1989 track Express Yourself in Born This Way. Madonna even went on to call Gaga's accused tune 'reductive'. Years later, Gaga responded to the allegations and said, "She wouldn't look me in the eye and tell me that I was reductive."."Telling me you think I'm a piece of sh-t through the media? It's like a guy passing me a note through his friend," she added.
Bygones are bygones and this picture is evidence. We couldn't be happier for them!


text:
De Behler See is een meer in de Holsteinische Schweiz, in de Duits deelstaat Sleeswijk-Holstein. Het ligt tussen Timmdorf (wijk van Malente) in het oosten en de stad Plön in het westen.

Het meer is 277 ha groot, tot 43 m diep en ligt 22 m boven de zeespiegel.
De Schwentine stroomt er van oost naar west doorheen.
De Behler See is genoemd naar het dorp Behl in de gemeente Grebin, die zich ten noorden ervan bevindt.

Meer in Duitsland
Geografie van Sleeswijk-Holstein
Stroomgebied van de Schwentine

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Archive for the 'Will Atlanta reign supreme in 2010?' Category
Atlanta Braves: 2010 Season Preview
Categories: Will Atlanta reign supreme in 2010?
Tags: Atlanta Braves, Billy Wagner, Bobby Cox, Brian McCann, Chipper Jones, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Derek Lowe, Eric Hinske, Hall of Famer, Jair Jurrjens, Jason Heyward, Javier Vazquez, Kenshin Kawakami, Major League Baseball Opening Day, Matt Diaz, Melky Cabrera, Mike Gonzalez, Nate McLouth, National League Wild Card, No. 1 prospect, preseason predictions, Rafael Soriano, Takashi Saito, Tim Hudson, Tommy Hanson, Troy Glaus
It's that time of year again… Major League Baseball Opening Day.
Today, hope springs eternal for all baseball enthusiasts as every team starts with a fresh slate as the 162-game marathon officially gets underway.
For Braves fans, this is the first year since the team's past four October-less seasons, where there is a true sense of optimism surrounding Atlanta's chances of returning to the postseason.
Last year, the Braves made an improbable late run at the National League Wild Card and stayed in contention for the spot until the final few games.
The remarkable turn of events had fans and the media buzzing about the "return" of the Atlanta Braves.
After an offseason in which the club decided to re-sign Tim Hudson and trade Javier Vazquez, add Billy Wagner and Takashi Saito to the back end of the bullpen, sign Troy Glaus to serve as the team's new first baseman while penciling in No. 1 prospect Jason Heyward in right field, the pre-season hype about the Braves seems legitimate.
Many preseason national pundits have predicted the Braves to indeed make the playoffs in 2010, offering a sense of excitement around the team's loyalists.
It is no secret that this team has something to play for.
Iconic manager Bobby Cox is in his final year at the helm, and his players desperately want to send their skipper out on a high note.
However, the "win one for Bobby" mantra will only get this group so far.
And, they know it.
While, the players have added incentive and extra motivation to win— which may serve them well in the dog days of summer, the talent also appears to be in place for Atlanta to once again taste October glory.
Chipper Jones believes this Braves club could win 90 games, if they stay healthy.
And, it is easy to see why.
Despite the loss of Javier Vazquez, Atlanta's returning starting rotation comprised of Derek Lowe, Jair Jurrjens, Tommy Hanson, Tim Hudson and Kenshin Kawakami still figures to be one of baseball's best.
Lowe looks to rebound from one of his most disappointing seasons in 2009.
Yet, despite an uncharacteristically high 4.67 ERA, D-Lowe still won 15 games for the Braves last year, which tied him with Vazquez for the team lead in wins.
Jurrjens has established himself as one of baseball's best young hurlers, finishing last season with a 2.60 ERA, third-best among National League starters.
Hanson made his highly anticipated rookie debut in June and went on to win 11 games last year, which was good enough for a third-place finish in the 2009 Rookie of the Year balloting.
Atlanta's top pitching prospect is more seasoned and mature heading into Opening Day, and the Braves rotation stands to benefit greatly from getting a full year out of Hanson in 2010.
Japanese standout Kawakami won 7 games in his rookie season in the U.S. for Atlanta last year, but proved he could go up against any elite starter, besting some of baseball's top aces last season, including countryman Daisuke Matsuzaka.
Kawakami figures to improve upon those numbers this season, as he has now grown increasingly comfortable with the pitching style in the states and has made the necessary adjustments this spring.
The Braves also boast an improved bullpen this season.
Atlanta added one of the game's best closers in Billy Wagner to replace last season's dual closers Rafael Soriano and Mike Gonzalez.
Takashi Saito was also brought in as a set-up man to Wagner, but his wealth of prior closing experience gives the Braves great depth late in games this season.
Atlanta's offense, which undoubtedly derailed the team's postseason aspirations last year, seems to have at least been marginally improved.
The Braves' additions of Troy Glaus, Melky Cabrera and Eric Hinske this off-season— along with the emergence of Jason Heyward— gives Atlanta a more well-rounded and deep batting corps than last year's group.
The team still lacks a prototypical "big bopper" on paper, but with Glaus serving as the team's clean-up hitter, protecting both Chipper Jones and Brian McCann, the pieces are in place for a solid middle of the order unit.
That is, of course, if all prove to stay healthy.
The key to Atlanta's success will be if Glaus, Jones and McCann, who are all overcoming past health concerns, can stay on the field and out of the trainer's room.
Jones, a future Hall of Famer, is expected to rebound from his career-worst season at the plate in 2009.
McCann, who was slowed early last season by vision problems, should benefit from his second Lasik eye procedure this winter.
The wild card for the success of the Braves offense is whether Jason Heyward can make an immediate and profound impact at the Major League level.
There is no doubt J-Hey is the real deal.
The question is: Can he can serve as a consistent force in the Braves lineup and help power what last season was an often punchless offense?
With the additions of the switch-hitting Melky Cabrera and super utility man Eric Hinske, the Braves are afforded a great deal of versatility this season.
Cabrera will likely serve as the team's leadoff hitter when he plays and can man left or center field, depending on the pitching matchup and Cox's preference of playing Matt Diaz or Nate McLouth at the other spot.
I believe Chipper said it best, in terms of assessing the team's lineup in 2010.
This offense is not "sexy," but it is balanced top to bottom.
There are no easy outs, and if a player does go down, there are veterans with experience and depth who can step right in and contribute immediately and effectively.
Moreover, the Braves are a more confident and a much more cohesive unit then they've been in years.
The club has always enjoyed a great deal of chemistry over the years, especially during their run of 14 consecutive division titles, but never before have the personalities meshed quite like this year's troops.
Chipper Jones and Tim Hudson credit the closeness and camaraderie among this bunch as a significant intangible that can't be overlooked.
They're right.
How often do you see a team stacked with superstars top to bottom but the egos couldn't play together and the success on paper never quite translated to the field?
To build a winning roster, you need a group that is talented, versatile and that can compliment each other well.
That's the makings of a true "team."
The Braves are far from the most talented group assembled on paper in the Majors, and they aren't even the cream of the crop in their own division.
However, funny things happen over the course of a marathon season.
Legends are made, heroes emerges and storylines develop.
I can't help but think that Jason Heyward could be that legend and that any number of heroes could stand up to help cement the greatest storyline of the year— sending Bobby Cox out as a winner.
Oh, the beauty of Opening Day…where no dream is too big.


Joseph Matthew Alwyn (born 21 February 1991) is an English actor.He is best known for his jobs in the films Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk (2016) and The Favourite (2018).
Brought up in the Crouch End/Tufnell Park area of London, Alwyn is the child of a psychotherapist mother and a narrative producer father. He was instructed at the City of London School. Although a "thoughtful" child, he covertly needed to be an actor. He turned into an individual from the National Youth Theatre in his late teens.While considering English writing and dramatization at the University of Bristol, he acted in two understudy creations at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. After graduating in 2012, he finished a BA in acting at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.
Inside about fourteen days of his alumni grandstand, in mid 2015, Alwyn was cast ahead of the pack job of Ang Lee's 2016 war drama, Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk,based on Ben Fountain's novel. In 2017, he had a supporting job in the British dramatization film The Sense of an Ending.
In 2018, he showed up in the period dramatization films Operation Finale, The Favourite, Boy Erased, and Mary Queen of Scots.


As part of our commitment to social and corporate responsibility, we've pledged to raise a whopping £10,000 for our chosen charity, Combat Stress!
Combat Stress treats British Armed Forces veterans who are suffering from mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety and PTSD. Their services are provided free of charge so they rely on charitable donations to keep going.
In order to raise the £10,000 for charity, through our charity arm Challenge SGM we will be taking part in a number of events in the upcoming months. Our first opportunity to raise some dosh will be the KM Assault Course Challenge, which is taking place at Fowlmead Country Park near Deal. Twelve foolhardy brave giants are taking part in the obstacle course, which is probably going to be wet and muddy just to add to the fun! Now we're not all known for our love of mud and dirt so don't think this assault course is going to be a walk in the park. Far from it! Having checked out the list of obstacles some of us are quaking in our boots!
To be able to hit our target, we need as many people as possible to take part in the fundraising! Challenge SGM was set up so that likeminded people could spur each other on to take part in physical challenges in order to raise sponsorship for charity. Challenge SGM will deal with the administration, registering for events, paying registration fees, etc. all you have to do it raise as much money as possible and turn up on the day. So if you're up for the challenge and want to get involved get in touch!
If you don't fancy dusting off your trainers, please be kind and sponsor us. Your generosity will be much appreciated. For full details about how you can donate or get involved check out our £10k Giant Challenge page or click on the big purple button below! You can also donate by text message. Simply text CSGM49 + your amount (£1, £2, £3, £4, £5 or £10) to 70070.
Not every challenge is going to involve getting muddy, we've got plenty of other ideas up our sleeve and we'd love for you to suggest some challenges for us to do. Or if there's something you'd really love to do for charity, what are you waiting for? This is why Challenge SGM was created. Send us an email.


text:
Land Use Plans
Growing the Greenbelt
Urban River Valleys
Public Opinion Research
In a Changing Climate
Grants Overview
Ducks Unlimited Canada
Audited Financials
Greenbelt Route
GreenbeltFresh
Fresh from the Greenbelt
Trout in the Humber
Posted by Felix Whitton on April 28, 2014
Rainbow trout are alive and well in Toronto's Humber River.
Imagine my surprise on moving to Toronto to find that the city not only contains a giant ravine system—our equivalent to the canals of Venice— but that the rivers running through it also contain fish; quite a lot of them.
Each spring steelhead—otherwise known as rainbow trout—migrate up the Humber River to spawn, and can be seen jumping dams at various points through the city. Chinook and coho salmon make the run in the fall. Although all three species were introduced from the Pacific, they have established wild, self-sustaining populations in the Great Lakes.
London (England, not Ontario), where I lived until recently, is renowned for the polluted state of its waterways. Half a century ago the River Thames was declared "biologically dead", and although the river is making a comeback, the chances of seeing such a spectacle as trout jumping so close to the city centre are virtually nil.
Trout face many barriers to make it their spawning grounds.
So I found myself one sunny Saturday afternoon in April, camera in hand, crouched by the river at Étienne Brûlé Park (near Old Mill station), watching as trout after trout flung themselves up a 1.5 metre dam. In the short space of time I was there I saw perhaps 100 fish attempt the jump, with only a handful making it over and on to the next stretch of river.
Rather than attempt the dam in one leap the trout aim for around halfway up, using their muscular bodies to aquaplane the rest of the way. A crowd of walkers and families had gathered to watch and shout support, or voice their dismay at another near miss. Nearby, cormorants and gulls hovered, while downstream several anglers stood motionless as herons (the fishing season officially opens on the fourth Saturday in April).
The few trout that make it past the barriers in the Lower Humber will return to their original hatching grounds in the headwaters of the Niagara Escarpment and Oak Ridges Moraine, where they will spawn.
Success! One trout makes it over.
Despite the presence of barriers, the trout face a better chance of survival in the Humber than many urban rivers. A recent freshwater health assessment from WWF Canada gave the river a "fair" rating; its water quality and fish populations are good, and it is well monitored thanks to the efforts of the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) and other watershed groups.
The dams themselves, built after Hurricane Hazel in 1954 to control erosion and water flow, are gradually being modified with fish ladders and "notching" to enable more fish to make the journey upstream and spawn in the upper reaches of the watershed.
The Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation is working to raise awareness of the hidden values of Toronto's urban rivers, and build support for their inclusion in Ontario's Greenbelt. This will offer permanent protection, allowing future generations to appreciate natural spectacles like the steelhead run, and hopefully lead to renewed efforts to restore them along their full lengths.
To learn more about the Humber and its fascinating history, come to our Jane's Walk on Saturday May 3. The walk departs from Lion's Park in Toronto at 5:30 PM. More information can be found here!
FELIX WHITTON
-- Program Officer
Humber River has been added to the Greenbelt. Want to learn more?
We are working with community groups, municipalities and organizations across the Greenbelt to ensure the urban river valleys thrive.
Our partners have organized numerous events across the Greenbelt. Find out all the events and consultations that are happening in the Urban River Valleys.
Find out more about the 21 urban river valleys and 7 coastal wetlands that have been added to the Greenbelt.
Environment, Foundation, Nature, Water, Spring, Urban River Valley,
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Looking for Old Victoria County, just launched in November of last year by eminent historian Rae Fleming, is already close to being sold out.
The compilation book of 28 historical articles, featuring such content as one room school houses, the Academy Theatre, community festivals, and pharmacies and prohibition, has proved very popular with local residents.
Fleming joined 16 other contributors to make the book a reality, creating a 500-book print run just a few months ago.
"We've sold close to $10,000 worth of books, mainly between the launch on Nov. 18 and the Christmas period," says Fleming.
While sales were slower in January they were still moving, with less than 40 copies in several retail venues, like Kent Bookstore, Lindsay, Sweet Bottom Cafe and Grr8 Finds in Fenelon, and the Beaverton Thorah Eldon Historical Society in Beaverton. In Kinmount, Guy Scott is the retailer.
Once the print run of 500 copies is gone, there will be no more printed, says Fleming.
Gloria, are you in Kawartha Lakes? The places where it is for sale are listed in the article.
Sometimes good ideas are merely a continuation of old ideas.


text:
Ann Voskamp answers tough questions about a word that can both harm and heal
By Jonathan Merritt — November 7, 2016
The New York Times bestselling author talk about overcoming her struggle with cutting and how brokenness can be used to hurt or heal.
Outside Paris, a clinic aims to tackle an age-old practice
By Lauren Markoe — August 25, 2016
ST.-DENIS, France (RNS) A mother, cut as a child, seeks help to make sure her own daughter doesn't suffer the same fate.
Activists say religion is key in combating female genital mutilation
By Omar Sacirbey — October 26, 2012
(RNS) Because of its severity and prevalence, female genital mutilation is arguably one of the most important human rights issues in the world. But the practice remains poorly understood, both by supporters who assert it is mandated by Islam, and opponents who, according to some activists, do more to sustain the practice than end it. By Omar Sacirbey.
Photos of the Week: Black Nazarene procession cancelled, Makar Sankranti kite flying
Annual March for Life goes virtual amid COVID-19, unrest at US Capitol
Martin Luther King Jr. faith events continue in time of COVID-19 and Capitol chaos
Twitter's 'cancelation' of free speech isn't a legal question, it's a moral one
2021 might be unpredictable, but don't ditch your datebook. Planning can be a spiritual exercise


text:
Apartment House Mondrian
The Mondrian residential block lies on the shores of an artificial lake that was originally created as part of a green zone dedicated to all kind of leisure time activities. The position of the new building was determined by the existing sports fields of a nearby school and the park of an adjacent hospital.
© Pato Safko
The plan to increase the density of the estate resulted in the creation of a long, narrow development site. Although the architects related their building to the rectilinear logic of the existing urban structure, it seems to stand out from the local situation. This impression may have to do with the height of the ground floor, with the expressive facade or with the building s distanced approach to the nearby lake.
The positive aspect of the increase in density was the in¬troduction of more flexible housing standards into the old, system-built housing estates. Mondrian should also be viewed in this context. In comparison to the surrounding pre-fabricated blocks Mondrian offers far higher standards. These include: an underground car park, the materials chosen, the green zones and, finally, the size of the apartments, which range between 60 and 170 m².
Typically, the apartments have an open living area and separate bedrooms, and in addition, the west-facing flats have a wonderful view across the city centre and of the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains. The standard floors have one-, two- and three-room apartments, while there are three- and four -room maisonettes with roof terraces on the top level of this superstructure. The complex spaces offer exciting places to live. The winter gardens on the east facade in a way recall the measures employed by residents of pre-fabricated blocks to enlarge the floor area of their apartments. But on the other hand this measure is an intelligent response by the architects to the regrettable fact that most residents tend to glaze in their balconies anyhow. In contrast to the standard pre-fabricated blocks, which served just one function, namely living, on the ground floor of this building there is a service zone directly beside the apartments.
Even the name Mondrian alone could be interpreted as indicating a sense of solidarity with Dutch Modernism. Painted geometric compositions in primary colours recalling the paintings of Piet Mondrian are to be found in the facades of the building. The main facade with its white frames looks exactly like a Mondrian composition in red, yellow and blue. However the expressive form of the building also contains references to a number of well-known examples of modern architecture. Even though the appearance of Mondrian gives us reason to reflect on the concept of increasing density and the am¬bivalent approach to the concept of modernism in Slovakia (admiration for the formal architectural elements coupled with rejection of modernist urban ideas), we must agree with local residents that it is better to have a rather striking small brother than to be bored on one s own.
Henrieta Moravcikova (shorthened)
Mondrian - bytovy dom
Alexy & Alexy
Andrej Alexy (1965 Slovakia); Andrea Klimkova (1973 Slovakia)
Structural engineering: Michal Cief, Roman Rosina, Eugen Dynka, Jozef Augustin Heating: Patrik Bosacky Engineering: Ladislav Hatiar Electrical: S. Dohnansky, Rudolf Skrabak, Peter Tatara Climatisation: Frantisek Duris Traffic: Milan Skyva Fire consulting: Ladislav Vamos Lighting: Stefan Rakovsky
LatLng: (48.1537514, 17.15615200000002)