Outline of Europe-Japan collaborative research on concentrator photovoltaics

The Europe-Japan Collaborative Research Project on Concentrator Photovoltaics (CPV) has been initiated under support by the EC (European Commission) and NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization) since June 2011. This is project (NGCPV Project; a New Generation of Concentrator PhotoVoltaic cells, modules and systems) is aiming to accelerate the move to very high efficiency and lower cost CPV technologies and to enhance widespread deployment of CPV systems. 7 organizations such as UPM, FhG-ISE Imperial College, BSQ, CEA-INES, ENEA, and PSE in Europe and 9 organizations such as TTI, Univ. Tokyo, AIST, Sharp Co. Daido Steel Co., Kobe Univ., Miyazaki Univ., Asahi Kasei Co., and Takano Co. participate in this project. The targets of this project are 1) to develop world-record efficiency CPV cells of more than 45%, 2) to develop world-record efficiency CPV modules of 35%, 3) to establish standard measurements of CPV cells and modules, 4) to install 50kW CPV system in Spain, to carry out field test of CPV system and to manage power generation of CPV systems, and 5) to develop high-efficiency and low-cost new materials and structure cells such as III-V-N, III-V-on-Si tandem, quantum dots and wells. This paper presents outline of this project and most recent results such as world record efficiency (37.9% under 1-sun) cell and high-efficiency (43.5% under 240-306 suns) concentrator cell with inverted epitaxial grown InGaP/GaAs/InGaAs 3-junction solar cells

High-Efficiency GaAs-Based Solar Cells

The III-V compound solar cells represented by GaAs solar cells have contributed as space and concentrator solar cells and are important as sub-cells for multi-junction solar cells. This chapter reviews progress in III-V compound single-junction solar cells such as GaAs, InP, AlGaAs and InGaP cells. Especially, GaAs solar cells have shown 29.1% under 1-sun, highest ever reported for single-junction solar cells. In addition, analytical results for non-radiative recombination and resistance losses in III-V compound solar cells are shown by considering fundamentals for major losses in III-V compound materials and solar cells. Because the limiting efficiency of single-junction solar cells is 30-32%, multi-junction junction solar cells have been developed and InGaP/GaAs based 3-junction solar cells are widely used in space. Recently, highest efficiencies of 39.1% under 1-sun and 47.2% under concentration have been demonstrated with 6-junction solar cells. This chapter also reviews progress in III-V compound multi-junction solar cells and key issues for realizing high-efficiency multi-junction cells

Multimodal treatment for resectable epithelial type malignant pleural mesothelioma

BACKGROUND: Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a rare malignancy. The outcome remains poor despite complete surgical resection. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eleven patients with histologicaly proven epithelial type malignant pleural mesothelioma undergoing extrapleural pneumonectomy with systemic chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy before and after surgical resection were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Ten out of 11 patients underwent complete surgical resection, of these 7 patients had stage I disease. Of these 7 patients, 5 are alive without any recurrence, a 2-year survival rate of 80% was observed in this group. There was no operative mortality or morbidity. CONCLUSION: Extrapleural pneumonectomy with perioperative adjuvant treatment is safe and effective procedure for epithelial type malignant pleural mesothelioma

Identification of the agg1 mutation responsible for negative phototaxis in a “wild-type” strain of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

AbstractThe unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is a model organism for various studies in biology. CC-124 is a laboratory strain widely used as a wild type. However, this strain is known to carry agg1 mutation, which causes cells to swim away from the light source (negative phototaxis), in contrast to the cells of other wild-type strains, which swim toward the light source (positive phototaxis). Here we identified the causative gene of agg1 (AGG1) using AFLP-based gene mapping and whole genome next-generation sequencing. This gene encodes a 36-kDa protein containing a Fibronectin type III domain and a CHORD-Sgt1 (CS) domain. The gene product is localized to the cell body and not to flagella or basal body

Increased expression of kisspeptin and GnRH forms in the brain of scombroid fish during final ovarian maturation and ovulation

BACKGROUND: Kisspeptins (Kiss) are prime players in the control of reproductive function through their regulation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) expression in the brain. The experimental scombroid fish, chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus) expresses two kiss (kiss1 and kiss2) and three gnrh (gnrh1, gnrh2, and gnrh3) forms in the brain. In the present study, we analyzed expression changes of kiss and gnrh mRNAs in the brain and corresponding GnRH peptides in the brain and pituitary during final ovarian maturation (FOM) and ovulation. METHODS: Female fish possessing late vitellogenic oocytes were injected with GnRH analogue to induce FOM and ovulation. Fish were observed for daily spawning activities and sampled one week post-injection at germinal vesicle migration (GVM), oocyte hydration, ovulation, and post-ovulatory time periods. Changes in relative mRNA levels of kiss and gnrh forms in the brain were determined using quantitative real-time PCR. Changes in GnRH peptides in the brain and pituitary were analyzed using time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay. RESULTS: Both kiss1 and kiss2 mRNA levels in the brain were low at late vitellogenic stage and increased significantly during the GVM period. However, kiss1 mRNA levels decreased during oocyte hydration before increasing again at ovulatory and post-ovulatory periods. In contrast, kiss2 mRNA levels decreased at ovulatory and post-ovulatory periods. Levels of gnrh1 mRNA in the brain increased only during post-ovulatory period. However, levels of gnrh2 and gnrh3 mRNAs were elevated during GVM and then, decreased during oocyte hydration before increasing again at ovulatory period. During post-ovulatory period, both gnrh2 and gnrh3 mRNA levels declined. Peptide levels of all three GnRH forms in the brain were elevated during GVM and oocyte hydration; their levels were significantly lower during late vitellogenic, ovulatory, and post-ovulatory periods. In contrast, pituitary GnRH peptide levels did not show any significant fluctuations, with the GnRH1 peptide levels being many-fold higher than the GnRH2 and GnRH3 forms. CONCLUSION: The results indicate increased expression of multiple Kiss and GnRH forms in the brain and suggest their possible involvement in the regulation of FOM and ovulation in captive female chub mackerel