Comment on "Interface state recombination in organic solar cells"

In a recent paper, Street et al. [Phys. Rev. B 81, 205307 (2010)] propose first order recombination due to interface states to be the dominant loss mechanism in organic bulk heterojunction solar cells, based on steady-state current--voltage characteristics. By applying macroscopic simulations, we found that under typical solar cell conditions, monomolecular or bimolecular recombination cannot be inferred from the slope of the light intensity dependent photocurrent. In addition, we discuss the validity of calculating a mobility--lifetime product from steady-state measurements. We conclude that the experimental technique applied by Street et al. is not sufficient to unambiguously determine the loss mechanism.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures. Corrected Eqns. (2) and (4): 1/... was missin

Fluorescent turn-on probes for wash-free mRNA imaging via covalent site-specific enzymatic labeling.

Investigating the many roles RNA plays in cellular regulation and function has increased demand for tools to explore RNA tracking and localization within cells. Our recently reported RNA-TAG (transglycosylation at guanine) approach uses an RNA-modifying enzyme, tRNA-guanine transglycosylase (TGT), to accomplish covalent labeling of an RNA of interest with fluorescent tracking agents in a highly selective and efficient manner. Unfortunately, labeling by this method currently suffers from a high nonspecific fluorescent background and is currently unsuitable for imaging RNA within complex cellular environments. Herein we report the design and synthesis of novel fluorogenic thiazole orange probes that significantly lower nonspecific binding and background fluorescence and, as a result, provide up to a 100-fold fluorescence intensity increase after labeling. Using these fluorogenic labeling agents, we were able to image mRNA expressed in Chinese Hamster Ovary cells in a wash-free manner

Initial experience using a femtosecond laser cataract surgery system at a UK National Health Service cataract surgery day care centre

© 2019 The Author(s). This is an Open Access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/OBJECTIVES: To describe the initial outcomes following installation of a cataract surgery laser system.SETTING: National Health Service cataract surgery day care unit in North London, UK.PARTICIPANTS: 158 eyes of 150 patients undergoing laser-assisted cataract surgery.INTERVENTIONS: Laser cataract surgery using the AMO Catalys femtosecond laser platform.PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE: intraoperative complications including anterior and posterior capsule tears.SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: docking to the laser platform, successful treatment delivery, postoperative visual acuities.RESULTS: Mean case age was 67.7±10.8 years (range 29-88 years). Docking was successful in 94% (148/158 cases), and in 4% (6/148 cases) of these, the laser delivery was aborted part way during delivery due to patient movement. A total of 32 surgeons, of grades from junior trainee to consultant, performed the surgeries. Median case number per surgeon was 3 (range from 1-20). The anterior capsulotomy was complete in 99.3% of cases, there were no anterior capsule tears (0%). There were 3 cases with posterior capsule rupture requiring anterior vitrectomy, and 1 with zonular dialysis requiring anterior vitrectomy (4/148 eyes, 2.7%). These 4 cases were performed by trainee surgeons, and were either their first laser cataract surgery (2 surgeons) or their first and second laser cataract surgeries (1 surgeon).CONCLUSIONS: Despite the learning curve, docking and laser delivery were successfully performed in almost all cases, and surgical complication rates and visual outcomes were similar to those expected based on national data. Complications were predominately confined to trainee surgeons, and with the exception of intraoperative pupil constriction appeared unrelated to the laser-performed steps.Peer reviewe

Motion of buoyant particles and coarsening of solid-liquid mixtures in a random acceleration field

Flow induced by a random acceleration field (g-jitter) is considered in two related situations that are of interest for microgravity fluid experiments: the random motion of an isolated buoyant particle and coarsening of a solid-liquid mixture. We start by analyzing in detail actual accelerometer data gathered during a recent microgravity mission, and obtain the values of the parameters defining a previously introduced stochastic model of this acceleration field. We then study the motion of a solid particle suspended in an incompressible fluid that is subjected to such random accelerations. The displacement of the particle is shown to have a diffusive component if the correlation time of the stochastic acceleration is finite or zero, and mean squared velocities and effective diffusion coefficients are obtained explicitly. Finally, the effect of g-jitter on coarsening of a solid-liquid mixture is considered. Corrections due to the induced fluid motion are calculated, and estimates are given for coarsening of Sn-rich particles in a Sn-Pb eutectic fluid, experiment to be conducted in microgravity in the near future.Comment: 25 pages, 4 figures (included). Also at http://www.scri.fsu.edu/~vinals/ross2.p

Variability of Objectively Measured Sedentary Behavior

The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate variability of sedentary behavior (SB) throughout a 7-d measurement period and to determine if G7 d of SB measurement would be comparable with the typical 7-d measurement period. Methods: Retrospective data from Ball State University_s Clinical Exercise Physiology Laboratory on 293 participants (99 men, 55 T 14 yr, body mass index = 29 T 5 kgImj2; 194 women, 51 T 12 yr, body mass index = 27 T 7 kgImj2) with seven consecutive days of data collected with ActiGraph accelerometers were analyzed (ActiGraph, Fort Walton Beach, FL). Time spent in SB (either G100 counts per minute or G150 counts per minute) and breaks in SB were compared between days and by sex using a two-way repeated-measures ANOVA. Stepwise regression was performed to determine if G7 d of SB measurement were comparable with the 7-d method, using an adjusted R2 of Q0.9 as a criterion for equivalence. Results: There were no differences in daily time spent in SB between the 7 d for all participants. However, there was a significant interaction between sex and days, with women spending less time in SB on both Saturdays and Sundays than men when using the 100 counts per minute cut-point. Stepwise regression showed using any 4 d would be comparable with a 7-d measurement (R2 9 0.90). Conclusions: When assessed over a 7-d measurement period, SB appears to be very stable from day to day, although there may be some small differences in time spent in SB and breaks in SB between men and women, particularly on weekend days. The stepwise regression analysis suggests that a measurement period as short as 4 d could provide comparable data (91% of variance) with a 1-wk assessment. Shorter assessment periods would reduce both researcher and subject burden in data collection