Angular Dependence of Solar Cell Parameters in Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells Textured with Periodic Array of Microholes

Surface texturing is an indispensable way of increasing absorption in solar cells. In order to properly characterize the effect of texturing, the angular dependence of the incidence light should be addressed. This is particularly important when the actual application where the incidence angle of the sunlight varies during the day is considered. This study presents the angular dependence of solar cell parameters in the case of periodically textured crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cells with microholes. A standard solar cell with pyramid texturing is also studied for comparison. It is shown that the incidence angle for the highest efficiency depends on the surface structure. While a standard pyramid-textured surface performs best at the zero angle of incidence, it is needed to tilt the sample with microholes textures 15 degrees with respect to the surface normal. This is also confirmed by the simulation study performed for the structures presented in this study

Genomic basis for RNA alterations in cancer

Transcript alterations often result from somatic changes in cancer genomes1. Various forms of RNA alterations have been described in cancer, including overexpression2, altered splicing3 and gene fusions4; however, it is difficult to attribute these to underlying genomic changes owing to heterogeneity among patients and tumour types, and the relatively small cohorts of patients for whom samples have been analysed by both transcriptome and whole-genome sequencing. Here we present, to our knowledge, the most comprehensive catalogue of cancer-associated gene alterations to date, obtained by characterizing tumour transcriptomes from 1,188 donors of the Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes (PCAWG) Consortium of the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)5. Using matched whole-genome sequencing data, we associated several categories of RNA alterations with germline and somatic DNA alterations, and identified probable genetic mechanisms. Somatic copy-number alterations were the major drivers of variations in total gene and allele-specific expression. We identified 649 associations of somatic single-nucleotide variants with gene expression in cis, of which 68.4% involved associations with flanking non-coding regions of the gene. We found 1,900 splicing alterations associated with somatic mutations, including the formation of exons within introns in proximity to Alu elements. In addition, 82% of gene fusions were associated with structural variants, including 75 of a new class, termed ‘bridged’ fusions, in which a third genomic location bridges two genes. We observed transcriptomic alteration signatures that differ between cancer types and have associations with variations in DNA mutational signatures. This compendium of RNA alterations in the genomic context provides a rich resource for identifying genes and mechanisms that are functionally implicated in cancer

Nurses' perceptions of aids and obstacles to the provision of optimal end of life care in ICU

Contains fulltext : 172380.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access

1-Methylcyclopropene application for controlling nectarine fruit quality during storage

Nectarines are among the climacteric fruits that have limited storage time after harvest. The most important problems of nectarines are flesh softening and chilling injury during storage. 1-Methylcycloprope (1-MCP), an ethylene inhibitor, is one of the unique compounds used for climacteric fruits to maintain the quality. In the current study, 'Spring Bright' nectarines were picked at commercial stage and treated with 0 (Control), 0.5, and 1 µl L -1 doses and stored at 0°C, 90% RH for 20 days. Weight loss (WL: %), titratable acidity (TA: %), total soluble solids (TSS: %), color (H°), and flesh firmness (kg) were determined. The weight loss increased during storage whereas the titratable acidity and firmness decreased. The other quality parameters had a slight difference which is not important practically

Effects of 1-methylcyclopropene on overall quality of 'Black Amber' plum during storage

'Black Amber' plums were harvested at the commercial stage and treated at the same date of harvest with doses of 0.5 and 1 µl L-1 1-methylcyclopropene. Fruits maintained at the same conditions without any treatment were used as Control. Fruits were stored at 1±0.5°C and 90% RH during 30 days of storage. Effects of 1-MCP on fruit firmness (FF: kg), weight losses (WL: %), titratable acidity (TA: %), and total soluble solids (TSS: %), were determined during 15 and 30 days of storage. The firmness maintained better than Control in both doses of 1-MCP applications, overall quality parameters were enhanced by 1-MCP treatments

Ripening and quality response of 'Blackamber' plums to 1-methylcyclopropene during long-term storage

Plums cv. Blackamber were treated with 250, 500, 750, 1000 nl l -1 of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) upon harvest at two ripening stages (S1 and S2) followed by 15, 30, 45 days of cold storage at 0°C and 90% RH and their subsequent 3 days of shelf life at 20°C during the years 2008 and 2009. All doses of 1-MCP retarded the softening of fruits at both ripening stages in both years, suppressed the ethylene production and slowed down titratable acidity losses during shelf life. Hence the storability of 1-MCP-treated plums could be extended up to 2 weeks of cold storage plus 3 days of shelf life at 20°C. 1-MCP treatment was effective on fruits even at late harvest stage (S2), an important aspect for fruits harvested at later stages depending on market demands. Results of the present work revealed that applied doses of 1-MCP were effective in maintaining fruit quality attributes even with late harvested fruits in addition to the extension of shelf life during cold storage at 0oC at 90% RH and subsequent shelf life at 20°C

Herbal drug related warfarin intoxication

Warfarin is a widely used antithrombotic drug in prevention of both arterial and venous thrombosis. Glucosamine is a popular dietary supplement used in symptomatic treatment of osteoarthritis. The interaction mechanism between these two drugs is not known yet. Case report: 63 year old woman, who was taking warfarin therapy 5 mg /day for 5;months for pulmonary embolism (therapeutic INR range:2.0–3.0), visited the emergency room with haematuria and rash. She had synchronous breast and colonic tumours for which right mastectomy and right hemicolectomy were done 5 months ago. Her INR (Internatıonal Normalized Ratio) values were highly increased (12.5) due to consumption of a herbal drug involving glucosamine hydrochloride 250 mg , boswellia extract and grapefruit extract at that day for arthralgia. Boswellia extracts are used in management of osteoarthritis. Naranjo adverse drug reaction probability scale score was 6, which indicated a probable relationship between the patient’s elevated INR and use of two drugs (warfarin and herbal drug) at the same time. After discontinuation of both drugs, two units of fresh frozen plasma were given. Her INR reduced to 2.5; as a result haematuria and rash regressed. This case report suggests a potential interaction between warfarin and both glucosamine and grapefruit extract. The inhibitory effect of grapefruit extract on cytochrome P450 isoenzymes is combined with the effect of glucosamine. Conclusion: Clinicians should be aware of patients taking herbal medicines with such drugs like warfarin which has narrow therapeutic index

Comparison of Transcutaneous, Arterial and End-tidal Measurements of Carbon Dioxide during Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

OBJECTIVE: Transcutaneous, arterial and end-tidal measurements of carbon dioxide were compared in patients (American Society of Anesthesiology physical status classes II and III) with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy with carbon dioxide insufflation. METHODS: General anaesthesia was performed in all patients. The Sentec (R) system was used for transcutaneous monitoring of the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (TcPco(2)). TcPco(2) and arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide (Paco(2)) were recorded preoperatively, after induction of anaesthesia, during insufflation and postoperatively; end-tidal carbon dioxide (ETco(2)) was recorded after induction and during insufflation. RESULTS: Paco(2) increased during insufflation and reached a maximum at extubation. It declined within 20 min postoperatively but did not return to preoperative levels during this time. TcPco(2) levels followed a similar pattern. ETco(2) was significantly lower than Paco(2) after induction and during insufflation. CONCLUSION: TcPco(2) was a valid and practical measurement compared with ETco(2). In patients with COPD undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy, TcPco(2) and ETco(2) could be used instead of arterial blood gas sampling