Complete microcrystalline p-i-n solar cell—Crystalline or amorphous cell behavior?

Complete µc-Si:H p-i-n solar cells have been prepared by the very high frequency glow discharge method. Up to now, intrinsic µc-Si:H has never attracted much attention as a photovoltaic active material. However, an efficiency of 4.6% and remarkably high short circuit current densities of up to 21.9 mA/cm2 due to an enhanced absorption in the near-infrared could be obtained. First light-soaking experiments indicate no degradation for the entirely µc-Si:H cells. Voltage-dependent spectral response measurements suggest that the carrier transport in complete µc-Si:H p-i-n cells may possibly be cosupported by diffusion (in addition to drift)

Is there an evidence-based number of sessions in outpatient psychotherapy? – A comparison of naturalistic conditions across countries

Deciding on the number of psychotherapy sessions to satisfactorily treat a patient is a vital clinical as well as economic issue in most mental health systems worldwide. The length of outpatient psychotherapy in naturalistic conditions ranges from a single session to hundreds of sessions [1]. In randomized clinical trials, the number of sessions is typically fixed to deliver manualized treatments and to control for dosage effects (e.g., in a 16-session format [2]). Using data from Routine Outcome Monitoring studies [3, 4], we investigated whether the treatments under naturalistic conditions were fixed to a particular number of sessions or not (H1), whether naturalistic conditions tended to include unusually long treatments (e.g., >100 sessions) (H2), and how the observed number of sessions was distributed across countries (H3)

Galactic Abundances: Report of Working Group 3

We summarize the various methods and their limitations and strengths to derive galactic abundances from in-situ and remote-sensing measurements, both from ground-based observations and from instruments in space. Because galactic abundances evolve in time and space it is important to obtain information with a variety of different methods covering different regions from the Very Local Insterstellar Medium (VLISM) to the distant galaxy, and different times throughout the evolution of the galaxy. We discuss the study of the present-day VLISM with neutral gas, pickup ions, and Anomalous Cosmic Rays, the study of the local interstellar medium (ISM) at distances <1.5 kpc utilizing absorption line measurements in H I clouds, and the study of galactic cosmic rays, sampling contemporary (~15 Myr) sources in the local ISM within a few kiloparsec of the solar system. Solar system abundances, derived from solar abundances and meteorite studies are discussed in several other chapters of this volume. They provide samples of matter from the ISM from the time of solar system format ion, about 4.5 Gyr ago. The evolution of galactic abundances on longer time scales is discussed in the context of nuclear synthesis in the various contributing stellar objects

Device grade microcrystalline silicon owing to reduced oxygen contamination

As-deposited undoped microcrystalline silicon (µc-Si:H) has in general a pronounced n-type behavior. Such a material is therefore often not appropriate for use in devices, such as p-i-n diodes, as an active, absorbing i layer or as channel material for thin-film transistors. In recent work, on p-i-n solar cells, this disturbing n-type character had been successfully compensated by the ``microdoping'' technique. In the present letter, it is shown that this n-type behavior is mainly linked to oxygen impurities; therefore, one can replace the technologically delicate microdoping technique by a purification method, that is much easier to handle. This results in a reduction of oxygen impurities by two orders of magnitude; it has, furthermore a pronounced impact on the electrical properties of µc-Si:H films and on device performance, as well. Additionally, these results prove that the unwanted donor-like states within µc-Si:H are mainly due to extrinsic impurities and not to structural native defects

Treatment options of invasive fungal infections in adults.

A panel of infectious disease specialists, clinical microbiologists and hospital epidemiologists of the five Swiss university hospitals reviewed the current literature on the treatment of invasive fungal infections in adults and formulated guidelines for the management of patients in Switzerland. For empirical therapy of Candida bloodstream infection, fluconazole is the drug of choice in non-neutropenic patients with no severe sepsis or septic shock or recent exposure to azoles. Amphotericin B deoxycholate or caspofungin would be the treatment option for patients with previous azole exposure. In neutropenic patients, empirical therapy with amphotericin B deoxycholate is considered first choice. In patients with severe sepsis and septic shock, caspofungin is the drug of first choice. For therapy of microbiologically-documented Candida infection, fluconazole is the drug of choice for infections due to C. albicans, C. tropicalis or C. parapsilosis. When infections are caused by C. glabrata or by C. krusei, caspofungin or amphotericin B deoxycholate are first line therapies. Treatment guidelines for invasive aspergillosis (IA) were stratified into primary therapy, salvage therapy and combination therapy in critically ill patients. Voriconazole is recommended for primary (ie upfront) therapy. Caspofungin, voriconazole (if not used for primary therapy) or liposomal amphotericin B are recommended for salvage therapy for refractory disease. Combination therapy with caspofungin plus voriconazole or liposomal amphotericin B should be considered in critically ill patients. Amphotericin B deoxycholate is recommended as initial therapy for the empirical therapy in patients with neutropenia and persistent fever with close monitoring of adverse events