Electron radiation–induced degradation of GaAs solar cells with different architectures

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Assessing the societal benefits of river restoration using the ecosystem services approach

This paper is a contribution from the EU seventh framework funded research project REFORM (Grant Agreement 282656).The success of river restoration was estimated using the ecosystem services approach. In eight pairs of restored–unrestored reaches and floodplains across Europe, we quantified provisioning (agricultural products, wood, reed for thatching, infiltrated drinking water), regulating (flooding and drainage, nutrient retention, carbon sequestration) and cultural (recreational hunting and fishing, kayaking, biodiversity conservation, appreciation of scenic landscapes) services for separate habitats within each reach, and summed these to annual economic value normalized per reach area. We used locally available data and literature, did surveys among inhabitants and visitors, and used a range of economic methods (market value, shadow price, replacement cost, avoided damage, willingness-to-pay survey, choice experiment) to provide final monetary service estimates. Total ecosystem service value was significantly increased in the restored reaches (difference 1400 ± 600 € ha−1 year−1; 2500 − 1100, p = 0.03, paired t test). Removal of one extreme case did not affect this outcome. We analysed the relation between services delivered and with floodplain and catchment characteristics after reducing these 23 variables to four principal components explaining 80% of the variance. Cultural and regulating services correlated positively with human population density, cattle density and agricultural N surplus in the catchment, but not with the fraction of arable land or forest, floodplain slope, mean river discharge or GDP. Our interpretation is that landscape appreciation and flood risk alleviation are a function of human population density, but not wealth, in areas where dairy farming is the prime form of agriculture.PostprintPeer reviewe

<em>In Situ</em> Monitoring of the Accelerated Performance Degradation of Solar Cells and Modules: A Case Study for Cu(In,Ga)Se₂ Solar Cells

International audienc

Broadband and omnidirectional anti-reflection layer for iii/v multi-junction solar cells

Contains fulltext : 103915.pdf (preprint version ) (Open Access

Trends in Atrial Fibrillation and Prescription of Oral Anticoagulants and Embolic Strokes in Germany

Background: The aim of the study was to compare trends in frequency of atrial fibrillation (AF) with the prescription rates of oral anticoagulants (OAC) and the incidence of embolic stroke (ES) from 2005 through 2014. Methods: Annual numbers of hospitalized patients with AF and ES were extracted from the Federal Bureau of Statistics. Defined daily doses (DDD) of prescribed OAC among outpatients were extracted from the insurance drug information system. Results: The number of cases hospitalized with the diagnosis AF increased continuously by 78.3% (1.25 Million in 2005 to 2.19 Million in 2014, p < 0.001), likewise frequency of ES increased by 89.0% (from 46,068 to 87,050, p < 0.001) and the number of prescribed DDD of OAC almost doubled by 105.4% (from 271,328 to 557,281, p < 0.001). There is an almost linear correlation between occurrence of AF and ES (R-2 = 0.9683). In contrast association between prescription rate of OAC and incidence of ES is not linear as there was a disproportional increase in OAC prescriptions beginning in the year 2010 that is not accompanied by a reduction of cases hospitalized with ES. Conclusions: Our analysis of drug treatment rates for OAC in outpatients and hospitalization rates for ES revealed a disproportional increase in prescription of OAC beginning in the year 2010 that does not affect the number of cases hospitalized with ES. (c) 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

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

Inhaled salmeterol and/or fluticasone alters structure/function in a murine model of allergic airways disease

Abstract Background The relationship between airway structural changes (remodeling) and airways hyperresponsiveness (AHR) is unclear. Asthma guidelines suggest treating persistent asthma with inhaled corticosteroids and long acting β-agonists (LABA). We examined the link between physiological function and structural changes following treatment fluticasone and salmeterol separately or in combination in a mouse model of allergic asthma. Methods BALB/c mice were sensitized to intraperitoneal ovalbumin (OVA) followed by six daily inhalation exposures. Treatments included 9 daily nebulized administrations of fluticasone alone (6 mg/ml), salmeterol (3 mg/ml), or the combination fluticasone and salmeterol. Lung impedance was measured following methacholine inhalation challenge. Airway inflammation, epithelial injury, mucus containing cells, and collagen content were assessed 48 hours after OVA challenge. Lungs were imaged using micro-CT. Results and Discussion Treatment of allergic airways disease with fluticasone alone or in combination with salmeterol reduced AHR to approximately naüve levels while salmeterol alone increased elastance by 39% compared to control. Fluticasone alone and fluticasone in combination with salmeterol both reduced inflammation to near naive levels. Mucin containing cells were also reduced with fluticasone and fluticasone in combination with salmeterol. Conclusions Fluticasone alone and in combination with salmeterol reduces airway inflammation and remodeling, but salmeterol alone worsens AHR: and these functional changes are consistent with the concomitant changes in mucus metaplasia.</p