Development of a Dark Lock-in thermography (DLIT) system and its application for characterizing thin film and crystalline photovoltaic generators

Zsfassung in dt. SpracheIn der vorliegenden Arbeit wurde ein Messaufbau für Dunkel Lock-in Thermographie (DLIT) ausgehend von einer handelsüblichen mobilen Wärmebildkamera entwickelt, und eine entsprechende Auswertungssoftware programmiert. Photovoltaik-Module unterschiedlicher kristalliner und Dünnschicht-Technologien wurden vermessen, nicht nur um den Einfluss der Mess-Parameter zu untersuchen, sondern auch, um die durch DLIT nun zugänglichen Analysemöglichkeiten aufzuzeigen. Korrelationen sowie Unterschiede zu anderen bildgebenden Charakterisierungs-Verfahren werden diskutiert. DLIT ist eine Weiterentwicklung der konventionellen Thermographie. Zeitreihen der Modul-Oberflächen-Temperaturen, die durch einen modulierten elektrischen Wärmeeintrag in den PV-Zellen eines Moduls entstehen, werden durch zeitliche Fourieranalyse demoduliert. Für jeden Bildpunkt resultiert die Amplitude und der Phasenversatz der Oberflächentemperatur-Schwankungen im Bezug zur elektrischen modulierten Heizleistung. Die durch DLIT abgebildete Heizleistung von Kurzschlüssen in der Zellstruktur weist eine etwa um den Faktor zehn bessere örtliche Auflösung auf als Analysen mittels klassischer Thermographie. Durch die hohe Informationsmenge pro Bildpunkt und deren erwarteter zeitlicher Periodizität können Schwankungen festgestellt werden, deren Intensitäten kleiner als das Rauschen des Messsystems sind. Da die Temperatur-Diffusionslänge mit der Puls-Frequenz abnimmt, kann die örtliche Auflösung bei hohen zeitlichen Anregungs-Frequenzen verbessert werden. Dies führt jedoch zu einer Verringerung der Schwankungs-Amplitude, und damit zu einer Erhöhung des relativen Rauschens. Verschiedene Modultechnologien (mono c-Si, poly c-Si, CdTe, a-Si, CIS) werden mittels DLIT, EL, und Thermographie verglichen. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass DLIT, speziell in Kombination mit Elektrolumineszenz, ein wertvolles Werkzeug in der Analyse von Photovoltaik-Modulen ist.In presented thesis a dark Lock-in thermography (DLIT) measurement system based on a typical hand held thermography camera was developed, together with according software for measurement evaluation. Photovoltaic (PV) modules of various crystalline and thin film technologies were measured, to not only deduce the influence of measurement parameters, but also to explore analytical possibilities. Correlation and deviations to common imaging methods are discussed. DLIT is an improved thermography measurement. Time-series of the PV modules- surface temperature variations, caused by modulated electrical heating of PV cells, are Fourier-analyzed in time. This results in an amplitude and a phase for each pixel of the surface relative to the heating pulses. DLIT images of PV modules show faults with a typical ten times better special resolution than conventional thermography. Due to the amount of temporal measurements per pixel and the expected periodicity, signals amplitudes can be found with intensities smaller than the noise of a single measurement. As the heat diffusion length decreases with the pulse-frequency, the spatial resolution improves with the excitation-frequency. However, the absolute amplitude of surface temperature waves decrease, hence leading to more relative noise intensity in the DLIT images. Various PV module technologies (i.e. mono and poly c-Si, CdTe, a-Si, CIS) were analyzed using DLIT, EL, and conventional thermograph. The results show that DLIT is a very powerful tool to analyze defects in PV modules that is best paired with electroluminescence.11

The ABCG2 Efflux Transporter in the Mammary Gland Mediates Veterinary Drug Secretion across the Blood-Milk Barrier into Milk of Dairy Cows

ABSTRACT In human and mice ATP-binding cassette efflux transporter ABCG2 represents the main route for active drug transport into milk. However, there is no detailed information on the role of ABCG2 in drug secretion and accumulation in milk of dairy animals. We therefore examined ABCG2-mediated drug transport in the bovine mammary gland by parallel pharmacokinetic studies in lactating Jersey cows and in vitro flux studies using the anthelmintic drug monepantel (MNP) as representative bovine ABCG2 (bABCG2) drug substrate. Animals received MNP (Zolvix, Novartis Animal Health Inc.) once (2.5 mg/kg per os) and the concentrations of MNP and the active MNP metabolite MNPSO 2 were assessed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Compared with the parent drug MNP, we detected higher MNPSO 2 plasma concentrations (expressed as area under the concentration-versustime curve). Moreover, we observed MNPSO 2 excretion into milk of dairy cows with a high milk-to-plasma ratio of 6.75. In mechanistic flux assays, we determined a preferential time-dependent basolateral-toapical (B > A) MNPSO 2 transport across polarized Madin-Darby canine kidney II cells-bABCG2 monolayers using liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry analysis. The B > A MNPSO 2 transport was significantly inhibited by the ABCG2 inhibitor fumitremorgin C in bABCG2-but not in mock-transduced MDCKII cells. Additionally, the antibiotic drug enrofloxacin, the benzimidazole anthelmintic oxfendazole and the macrocyclic lactone anthelmintic moxidectin caused a reduction in the MNPSO 2 (B > A) net efflux. Altogether, this study indicated that therapeutically relevant drugs like the anthelmintic MNP represent substrates of the bovine mammary ABCG2 transporter and may thereby be actively concentrated in dairy milk

The ABCG2 efflux transporter in the mammary gland mediates veterinary drug secretion across the blood-milk barrier into milk of dairy cows

In human and mice ATP-binding cassette efflux transporter ABCG2 represents themain route for active drug transport into milk. However, there is no detailed information on the role of ABCG2 in drug secretion and accumulation in milk of dairy animals. We therefore examined ABCG2-mediated drug transport in the bovine mammary gland by parallel pharmacokinetic studies in lactating Jersey cows and in vitro flux studies using the anthelmintic drug monepantel (MNP) as representative bovine ABCG2 (bABCG2) drug substrate. Animals received MNP (Zolvix, Novartis Animal Health Inc.) once (2.5 mg/kg per os) and the concentrations of MNP and the active MNP metabolite MNPSO2 were assessed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Comparedwith the parent drugMNP,we detected higherMNPSO2 plasma concentrations (expressed as area under the concentration-versustime curve). Moreover, we observed MNPSO2 excretion into milk of dairy cows with a high milk-to-plasmaratio of 6.75. Inmechanistic flux assays, we determined a preferential time-dependent basolateral-toapical (B > A) MNPSO2 transport across polarized Madin-Darby canine kidney II cells-bABCG2 monolayers using liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry analysis. The B > A MNPSO2 transport was significantly inhibited by the ABCG2 inhibitor fumitremorgin C in bABCG2- but not in mock-transduced MDCKII cells. Additionally, the antibiotic drug enrofloxacin, the benzimidazole anthelmintic oxfendazole and the macrocyclic lactone anthelmintic moxidectin caused a reduction in the MNPSO2 (B > A) net efflux. Altogether, this study indicated that therapeutically relevant drugs like the anthelminticMNP represent substrates of the bovine mammary ABCG2 transporter and may thereby be actively concentrated in dairy milk.Fil: Mahnke, Hanna. University of Leipzig; AlemaniaFil: Ballent, Mariana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comision de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil; ArgentinaFil: Baumann, Sven. University of Leipzig; Alemania. Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research; AlemaniaFil: Imperiale, Fernanda Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comision de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil; ArgentinaFil: Von Bergen, Martin. Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research; Alemania. Aalborg University; DinamarcaFil: Lanusse, Carlos Edmundo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comision de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil; ArgentinaFil: Lifschitz, Adrian Luis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comision de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil; ArgentinaFil: Honscha, Walther. University of Leipzig; AlemaniaFil: Halwachs, Sandra. University of Leipzig; Alemani

Extending the Spectrum Characterisation of Solar Simulators from 300 nm to 1200 nm: Challenges on Spectral Measurements in the UV and NIR

Innovative photovoltaic technologies with spectral sensitivity exceeding the 400 to 1100 nm limits (as currently defined by the international standard IEC 60904-9) are nowadays available on the market. This poses new challenges in the correct measurement of the spectral content of solar simulators and natural sunlight in those wavelength bands that lie outside these limits. This study proposes an extension of the IEC 60904-9 bandwidth by adding two bands in the UV (300-400 nm) and NIR (1100-1200 nm) regions. This new proposed extension is analysed in terms of spectral match, using spectral measurements of Global Normal Irradiance (GNI) acquired during the 6th European Spectroradiometer Intercomparison by eight independent laboratories. A laboratory is selected to provide reference spectra, and the spectral match of the other ones is calculated, both on a single-measurement level and on a daily average level. The intra-day and inter-day variations are evaluated as well. Results show that all investigated laboratories are capable to assure a spectral match well below the ±25% limit corresponding to class-A simulators. When the more stringent, informal class-A+ corresponding to the ±12.5% limit is considered, four out of seven laboratories are still compliant with it.JRC.C.2-Energy Efficiency and Renewable

Impact of ITS-Based Sequencing on Antifungal Treatment of Patients with Suspected Invasive Fungal Infections

Molecular techniques including the sequencing of fungal-specific DNA targets are increasingly used in the diagnosis of suspected invasive fungal infections. In contrast to established biomarkers like galactomannan or 1-3-β-d-glucan, the clinical impact of these methods remains unknown. We retrospectively investigated the impact of ITS1-sequencing on antifungal treatment strategies in 71 patients (81 samples) with suspected invasive fungal infections. ITS-sequencing either confirmed already ongoing antifungal therapy (19/71 patients, 27%), led to a change in antifungal therapy (11/71, 15%) or supported the decision to withhold antifungal treatment (34/71, 48%) (in seven of 71 patients, ITS-sequencing results were obtained postmortem). ITS-sequencing results led to a change in antifungal therapy in a relevant proportion of patients, while it confirmed therapeutic strategies in the majority. Therefore, ITS-sequencing was a useful adjunct to other fungal diagnostic measures in our cohort

Comparative Genome Analysis of <i>Campylobacter fetus</i> Subspecies Revealed Horizontally Acquired Genetic Elements Important for Virulence and Niche Specificity

<div><p><i>Campylobacter fetus</i> are important animal and human pathogens and the two major subspecies differ strikingly in pathogenicity. <i>C. fetus</i> subsp. <i>venerealis</i> is highly niche-adapted, mainly infecting the genital tract of cattle. <i>C. fetus</i> subsp. <i>fetus</i> has a wider host-range, colonizing the genital- and intestinal-tract of animals and humans. We report the complete genomic sequence of <i>C. fetus</i> subsp. <i>venerealis</i> 84-112 and comparisons to the genome of <i>C. fetus</i> subsp. <i>fetus</i> 82-40. Functional analysis of genes predicted to be involved in <i>C. fetus</i> virulence was performed. The two subspecies are highly syntenic with 92% sequence identity but <i>C. fetus</i> subsp. <i>venerealis</i> has a larger genome and an extra-chromosomal element. Aside from apparent gene transfer agents and hypothetical proteins, the unique genes in both subspecies comprise two known functional groups: lipopolysaccharide production, and type IV secretion machineries. Analyses of lipopolysaccharide-biosynthesis genes in <i>C. fetus</i> isolates showed linkage to particular pathotypes, and mutational inactivation demonstrated their roles in regulating virulence and host range. The comparative analysis presented here broadens knowledge of the genomic basis of <i>C. fetus</i> pathogenesis and host specificity. It further highlights the importance of surface-exposed structures to <i>C. fetus</i> pathogenicity and demonstrates how evolutionary forces optimize the fitness and host-adaptation of these pathogens.</p></div

<i>C. fetus</i> genome attributes, including the extra-chromosomal element.

<p>according to RAST annotation.</p