Effect of gallium doping on the characteristic properties of polycrystalline cadmium telluride thin film

Ga-doped CdTe polycrystalline thin films were successfully electrodeposited on glass/fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) substrates from aqueous electrolytes containing cadmium nitrate (Cd(NO3)2⸱4H2O) and tellurium oxide (TeO2). The effects of different Ga-doping concentrations on the CdTe:Ga coupled with different post-growth treatments were studied by analysing the structural, optical, morphological and electronic properties of the deposited layers using X-ray diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry, scanning electron microscopy, photoelectrochemical cell measurement and direct-current conductivity test respectively. XRD results show diminishing (111)C CdTe peak above 20 ppm Ga-doping and appearance of (301)M GaTe diffraction above 50 ppm Ga-doping indicating the formation of two phases; CdTe and GaTe . Although, reductions in the absorption edge slopes were observed above 20 ppm Ga-doping for the as-deposited CdTe:Ga layer, no obvious influence on the energy gap of CdTe films with Ga-doping were detected. Morphologically, reductions in grain size were observed at 50 ppm Ga-doping and above with high pinhole density within the layer. For the as-deposited CdTe:Ga layers, conduction type change from n- to p- were observed at 50 ppm, while the n-type conductivity were retained after post-growth treatment. Highest conductivity was observed at 20 ppm Ga-doping of CdTe. These results are systematically reported in this pape

A fresh look at the evolution and diversification of photochemical reaction centers

In this review, I reexamine the origin and diversification of photochemical reaction centers based on the known phylogenetic relations of the core subunits, and with the aid of sequence and structural alignments. I show, for example, that the protein folds at the C-terminus of the D1 and D2 subunits of Photosystem II, which are essential for the coordination of the water-oxidizing complex, were already in place in the most ancestral Type II reaction center subunit. I then evaluate the evolution of reaction centers in the context of the rise and expansion of the different groups of bacteria based on recent large-scale phylogenetic analyses. I find that the Heliobacteriaceae family of Firmicutes appears to be the earliest branching of the known groups of phototrophic bacteria; however, the origin of photochemical reaction centers and chlorophyll synthesis cannot be placed in this group. Moreover, it becomes evident that the Acidobacteria and the Proteobacteria shared a more recent common phototrophic ancestor, and this is also likely for the Chloroflexi and the Cyanobacteria. Finally, I argue that the discrepancies among the phylogenies of the reaction center proteins, chlorophyll synthesis enzymes, and the species tree of bacteria are best explained if both types of photochemical reaction centers evolved before the diversification of the known phyla of phototrophic bacteria. The primordial phototrophic ancestor must have had both Type I and Type II reaction centers

Genomic Phenotyping by Barcode Sequencing Broadly Distinguishes between Alkylating Agents, Oxidizing Agents, and Non-Genotoxic Agents, and Reveals a Role for Aromatic Amino Acids in Cellular Recovery after Quinone Exposure

Toxicity screening of compounds provides a means to identify compounds harmful for human health and the environment. Here, we further develop the technique of genomic phenotyping to improve throughput while maintaining specificity. We exposed cells to eight different compounds that rely on different modes of action: four genotoxic alkylating (methyl methanesulfonate (MMS), N-Methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU), N,N′-bis(2-chloroethyl)-N-nitroso-urea (BCNU), N-ethylnitrosourea (ENU)), two oxidizing (2-methylnaphthalene-1,4-dione (menadione, MEN), benzene-1,4-diol (hydroquinone, HYQ)), and two non-genotoxic (methyl carbamate (MC) and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)) compounds. A library of S. cerevisiae 4,852 deletion strains, each identifiable by a unique genetic ‘barcode’, were grown in competition; at different time points the ratio between the strains was assessed by quantitative high throughput ‘barcode’ sequencing. The method was validated by comparison to previous genomic phenotyping studies and 90% of the strains identified as MMS-sensitive here were also identified as MMS-sensitive in a much lower throughput solid agar screen. The data provide profiles of proteins and pathways needed for recovery after both genotoxic and non-genotoxic compounds. In addition, a novel role for aromatic amino acids in the recovery after treatment with oxidizing agents was suggested. The role of aromatic acids was further validated; the quinone subgroup of oxidizing agents were extremely toxic in cells where tryptophan biosynthesis was compromised.Unilever (Firm)National Cancer Institute (U.S.) (R01-CA055042 (now R01-ES022872))Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Center for Environmental Health Sciences (Grant NIEHS P30-ES002109

Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Patient Registry in the Russian Federation: From Observational Studies to the Efficacy Evaluation in Clinical Practice

Background. Due to the significant increase in life expectancy and the quality of life in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) as well as the growing need for expensive tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI), the analysis of cost-effectiveness and lifelong monitoring of patients is especially important. Aim. We present the results of a multicenter observational study “The Russian Registry of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia in routine clinical practice (2011–2016)”. Materials & Methods. The study included Russian patients with CML, confirmed by the detection of a Ph-chromosome or a BCR-ABL transcript. The statistical analysis (July 1, 2016) included 7609 patients from 80 regions of the Russian Federation (covering 95 % of the population). The annual increase in the number of patients with newly diagnosed CML was 600–650 patients. At the time of the statistical analysis, 6995 (92 %) patients remained under observation, 473 (6 %) died and 141 (2 %) were withdrawn. The registry included 44 % of men and 56 % of women, the median age was 49 years (range 2–94 years). The peak incidence (46.3 %) occurred at the age of 40–60 years. The median disease duration by the time of the analysis was 6 years (range 0.1–30 years). Results. The disease was diagnosed in the chronic phase (CP), acceleration phase, and blast crisis in 6560 (93.8 %), 380 (5.5 %) and 47 (0.7 %) patients, respectively. The proportion of risk groups according to Sokal for low, intermediate and high risk in CP was 49 %, 30 %, and 21 %, respectively. TKI were administered to 6473 (92.5 %) patients. Imatinib and the second generation TKI (TKI2) were administered to 5570 (86 %) and 903 (14 %) patients, respectively. The total of 30.4 % of patients received the increased imatinib dose of 600–800 mg. In the TKI2 group, 558 (61.7 %) patients received nilotinib and 345 (38.2 %) patients received dasatinib. The proportion of patients with completed molecular genetic studies (MGS) in 2014, 2015 and the first 6 months of 2016 amounted to 61 %, 58 % and 23 %, respectively. The proportion of patients with cytogenetic studies (CS) for the same period was 28 %, 26 % and 7 %, respectively. No CS or MGS data were presented for 34 %, 35 % and 63 % of patients during this period. Optimal molecular response and major molecular response (MMR) for TKI therapy were observed in 23 % and 58 % of patients treated 12 months, respectively. When nilotinib was used in the second line, MMR was obtained in 42 % of patients, and a deep molecular response was obtained in 25 % of patients (BCR-ABL < 0.01 %). Conclusion. The high efficacy of TKI therapy was observed in the majority of patients with the possibility of achieving a minimal residual disease. The problems concerning untimely monitoring and suboptimal administration of second line treatment were identified. In general, the CML patient registry allowed the data integration of data and information management of population with CML in Russia