19.2% Efficient InP Heterojunction Solar Cell with Electron-Selective TiO2 Contact.

We demonstrate an InP heterojunction solar cell employing an ultrathin layer (∼10 nm) of amorphous TiO2 deposited at 120 °C by atomic layer deposition as the transparent electron-selective contact. The TiO2 film selectively extracts minority electrons from the conduction band of p-type InP while blocking the majority holes due to the large valence band offset, enabling a high maximum open-circuit voltage of 785 mV. A hydrogen plasma treatment of the InP surface drastically improves the long-wavelength response of the device, resulting in a high short-circuit current density of 30.5 mA/cm2 and a high power conversion efficiency of 19.2%

Constitutional Convention

Billings Gazette special issue about the Montana Constitutional Convention and government information articles pertaining to the subject. Included is a list of 1972 delegates.https://digitalcommons.mtech.edu/crucible_materials/1007/thumbnail.jp

Shape-controlled single-crystal growth of InP at low temperatures down to 220 °C.

III-V compound semiconductors are widely used for electronic and optoelectronic applications. However, interfacing III-Vs with other materials has been fundamentally limited by the high growth temperatures and lattice-match requirements of traditional deposition processes. Recently, we developed the templated liquid-phase (TLP) crystal growth method for enabling direct growth of shape-controlled single-crystal III-Vs on amorphous substrates. Although in theory, the lowest temperature for TLP growth is that of the melting point of the group III metal (e.g., 156.6 °C for indium), previous experiments required a minimum growth temperature of 500 °C, thus being incompatible with many application-specific substrates. Here, we demonstrate low-temperature TLP (LT-TLP) growth of single-crystalline InP patterns at substrate temperatures down to 220 °C by first activating the precursor, thus enabling the direct growth of InP even on low thermal budget substrates such as plastics and indium-tin-oxide (ITO)-coated glass. Importantly, the material exhibits high electron mobilities and good optoelectronic properties as demonstrated by the fabrication of high-performance transistors and light-emitting devices. Furthermore, this work may enable integration of III-Vs with silicon complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) processing for monolithic 3D integrated circuits and/or back-end electronics

Mineral composition of rainwater

Reprinted from Tellus, v. VIII, no. 2, 1956.Appendix B. Rainfall rates and synoptic conditions by Stan Changnon.Bibliography: p. 197

Topical application of the anti-microbial chemical triclosan induces immunomodulatory responses through the S100A8/A9-TLR4 pathway

The anti-microbial compound triclosan is incorporated into numerous consumer products and is detectable in the urine of 75% of the general United States population. Recent epidemiological studies report positive associations with urinary triclosan levels and allergic disease. Although not sensitizing, earlier studies previously found that repeated topical application of triclosan augments the allergic response to ovalbumin (OVA) though a thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) pathway in mice. In the present study, early immunological effects following triclosan exposure were further evaluated following topical application in a murine model. These investigations revealed abundant expression of S100A8/A9, which reportedly acts as an endogenous ligand for Toll-like Receptor 4 (TLR4), in skin tissues and in infiltrating leukocytes during topical application of 0.75–3.0% triclosan. Expression of Tlr4 along with Tlr1, Tlr2 and Tlr6 increased in skin tissues over time with triclosan exposure; high levels of TLR4 were expressed on skin-infiltrating leukocytes. In vivo antibody blockade of the TLR4/MD-2 receptor complex impaired local inflammatory responses after four days, as evidenced by decreased Il6, Tnfα, S100a8, S100a9, Tlr1, Tlr2, Tlr4 and Tlr6 expression in the skin and decreased lymph node cellularity and production of IL-4 and IL-13 by lymph node T-cells. After nine days of triclosan exposure with TLR4/MD-2 blockade, impaired T-helper cell type 2 (TH2) cytokine responses were sustained, but other early effects on skin and lymph node cellularity were lost; this suggested alternative ligands/receptors compensated for the loss of TLR4 signaling. Taken together, these data suggest the S100A8/A9-TLR4 pathway plays an early role in augmenting immunomodulatory responses with triclosan exposure and support a role for the innate immune system in chemical adjuvancy

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Streambank Stabilization Techniques for Reducing Bank Erosion on the Upper Clark Fork River, Western Montana

Lateral channel movement on the upper Clark Fork River of western Montana has resulted in loss of valuable agricultural land and delivery of sediment and mine tailings into the river. In spring 1996, we initiated a study to evaluate the effectiveness of streambank stabilization treatments to reduce the potential for bank erosion. The treatments implemented in this study focus on the use of native riparian vegetation to stabilize banks instead of traditional hard treatments such as rip rap. This study examines the effectiveness of 21 different bank stabilization treatment combinations for reducing bank erosion on a large river system. The treatments incorporate coir (coconut husk) fabric, conifer revetments, log barbs, rock barbs, rock toe stabilization, coir fascines, willow (Salix spp.) and red-osier dogwood (Cornus stolonifera) fascines, willow cuttings, containerized seedlings, mature shrub transplants and rock rip rap. Treatments were installed in fall 1996, spring and summer 1997, and fall 1998 on 24 reaches totaling 1,740 m (5,708 ft) in length. Typical sites are on the actively-eroding, concave side of channel meanders and consist of 5-ft. tall, nearly-vertical banks. 140 permanently-monumented cross sections have been monitored before construction and after the construction for all treatments, after ice events in 1997 and 1998 for treatments established at that time, and after peak flow events in 1997 and 1998. A total of 100 bank surface profiles have been monitored by total station and changes in streambank surface volume have been calculated. Survival rates of various vegetative treatments were also monitored, and costs of construction for each individual treatment were calculated from detailed monitoring of construction activities.The 1996-97 and 1997-1998 bankfull discharge ice event caused little erosion. However, the 1997 flood event, rare in its volume and duration, caused substantial erosion of treatment and control banks. 1997 and 1998 flood-caused erosion rates varied between treatments. First year survival was high for mature transplants (100%), containerized seedlings (90%), and vertically-planted willow cuttings (88%). Second year survival was also high for mature transplants and constainerized seedlings, but survival rates dropped drammatically in the second year for vertical willow stakes. Cost of various treatment implementation ranged widely from a low of $5.58/ft to a high of$82.29/ft

Pulmonary immune responses to Aspergillus fumigatus in an immunocompetent mouse model of repeated exposures

Aspergillus fumigatus is a filamentous fungus that produces abundant pigmented conidia. Several fungal components have been identified as virulence factors, including melanin; however, the impact of these factors in a repeated exposure model resembling natural environmental exposures remains unknown. This study examined the role of fungal melanin in the stimulation of pulmonary immune responses using immunocompetent BALB/c mice in a multiple exposure model. It compared conidia from wild-type A. fumigatus to two melanin mutants of the same strain, Δarp2 (tan) or Δalb1 (white). Mass spectrometry-based analysis of conidial extracts demonstrated that there was little difference in the protein fingerprint profiles between the three strains. Field emission scanning electron microscopy demonstrated that the immunologically inert Rodlet A layer remained intact in melanin-deficient conidia. Thus, the primary difference between the strains was the extent of melanization. Histopathology indicated that each A. fumigatus strain induced lung inflammation, regardless of the extent of melanization. In mice exposed to Δalb1 conidia, an increase in airway eosinophils and a decrease in neutrophils and CD8(+) IL-17(+) (Tc17) cells were observed. Additionally, it was shown that melanin mutant conidia were more rapidly cleared from the lungs than wild-type conidia. These data suggest that the presence of fungal melanin may modulate the pulmonary immune response in a mouse model of repeated exposures to A. fumigatus conidia