Análise do perfil de boro para produção de células solares base p com redução de etapas térmicas

Células solares processadas com boro estão sendo produzidas pela indústria devido a possibilidade de aumento de eficiência e a difusão de boro é uma etapa importante. Uma alternativa à difusão com BBr3 é o método de spin-on. Neste contexto, o objetivo deste trabalho é analisar o perfil de boro produzido por spin-on e com redução de etapas térmicas, na formação do campo retrodifusor bem como os parâmetros elétricos de células solares. Para reduzir os passos, a difusão de boro e oxidação foram realizadas na mesma etapa térmica. Concluiu-se que o óxido de silício foi eficaz em evitar a difusão de fósforo na face com boro e que ocorreu a segregação do boro para a camada de SiO2, independente da temperatura de difusão de boro (TB). Células solares processadas com TB = 970 °C alcançaram a eficiência de 17,3 %, que corresponde ao maior valor de dispositivos desenvolvidos no Brasil.Las células solares procesadas con boro se producen en la industria porque permiten el aumento de eficiencia y la difusión de boro es una etapa importante. Una alternativa a la difusión con BBr3 es el método de spin-on. En este contexto, el objetivo del trabajo es analizar el perfil de boro, producido por spin-on y con reducción de etapas térmicas, en la formación del campo retrodifusor y en los parámetros eléctricos de celdas solares. Para reducir los pasos, la difusión de boro y la oxidación se realizaron en la misma etapa térmica. Se concluyó que el óxido de silicio fue eficaz en evitar la difusión de fósforo en la cara con boro y que ocurrió la segregación del boro para la capa de SiO2, para todas las temperaturas de difusión de boro (TB) analizadas. Las celdas solares procesadas con TB = 970 °C alcanzaron la eficiencia del 17,3 %, que corresponde al mayor valor de dispositivos desarrollados en Brasil.The industry had been producing boron-processed solar cells due to the possibility to increase the efficiency and boron diffusion is an important step. An alternative to BBr3 diffusion is the spin-on method. In this context, the objective of this work is to analyze the boron profile, produced by spin-on and with reduction of thermal steps, in the formation of the back surface field and in the electrical parameters of solar cells. To reduce the steps, the boron diffusion and oxidation were performed in the same thermal step. We concluded that silicon oxide was effective in avoiding the diffusion of phosphorus in the face with boron. The boron segregation occurred at the SiO2 layer, regardless of the boron diffusion temperature (TB). Solar cells processed with TB = 970 °C achieved the efficiency of 17.3 % and this is the highest value of devices developed in Brazil.Asociación Argentina de Energías Renovables y Medio Ambiente (ASADES

Análise de processos de oxidação com Trans-LC para fabricação de células solares

Apesar do filme para passivação padrão da indústria de células solares atual ser SiNₓ, as últimas tendências do mercado fazem com que seja necessário reavaliar o SiO₂ para passivação das superfícies de células solares. Para crescer estes óxidos, no entanto, são necessárias etapas de processamento em altas temperaturas, que deixam as lâminas de silício suscetíveis a contaminações metálicas. Para evitar essa contaminação, o composto orgânico Trans-LC é utilizado para limpeza do tubo de oxidação. O objetivo deste trabalho é avaliar a eficácia deste composto para limpeza dos tubos e determinar a qualidade da passivação que os óxidos produzidos desta forma proporcionam para as lâminas de Si. Observou-se que as limpezas realizadas não foram capazes de prevenir a contaminação de lâminas de Si de alto tempo de vida inicial. Porém, o Trans-LC foi suficientemente eficaz para oxidações realizadas em lâminas de baixo tempo de vida dos portadores minoritários.Even though the standard film for passivation currently utilized in the silicon solar cell industry is SiNₓ, the late tendencies of the market make it necessary to reevaluate the SiO₂ for surface passivation of solar cells. In order to grow these oxides, however, high-temperature processing steps are necessary, which leave the wafers susceptible to metallic contamination. To avoid this contamination, the organic compound Trans-LC is used to clean the oxidation tube. The goal of this work is to evaluate the efficacy of this compound for the tube cleaning and determine the passivation quality that the oxides produced this way provide to the Si wafers. It was observed that the cleanings were not capable to prevent the contamination of high initial lifetime Si wafers. However, the Trans-LC was ufficiently effective for oxidations realized on wafers with low initial minority carrier lifetime.Asociación Argentina de Energías Renovables y Medio Ambiente (ASADES

Influência do tempo de difusão de boro no campo retrodifusor seletivo de alumínio e boro em células solares de silício

O campo retrodifusor seletivo em células solares possibilita aumentar a eficiência e evita o abaulamento. O objetivo deste trabalho é analisar a influência do tempo de difusão de boro na formação do campo retrodifusor seletivo de alumínio e boro em células solares processadas em lâminas de silício Czochralski tipo p, grau solar. A difusão de boro foi implementada em toda a face posterior da lâmina e por serigrafia foi depositada a pasta de alumínio, somente nas trilhas metálicas. O processo de queima das pastas metálicas foi realizado em forno de esteira. Variou-se o tempo de difusão de boro de 10 a 30 minutos para a temperatura de difusão de 950 a 970 °C. Constatou-se que o melhor tempo de difusão depende da temperatura de difusão de boro e que a maior eficiência média, de (15,6 ± 0,1) %, foi obtida para a temperatura de 970 °C e tempo de difusão de 30 minutos.The selective back surface field in solar cells enables to increase the efficiency and avoid the bowing. The objective of this study is to analyze the influence of boron diffusion time in the formation of boron/aluminum selective back surface field. The solar cells were processed in solar grade Si-Cz wafers. The boron diffusion was performed in the whole rear face of the silicon wafer and the aluminum paste was deposited by screen printing, only in the metal fingers. The firing process of the metal pastes was performed in a belt furnace. The boron diffusion time was ranged from 10 to 30 minutes for the diffusion temperature from 950 °C to 970 °C. It was found that the better diffusion time depends on the boron diffusion temperature and the highest average efficiency of solar cells, of (15.6 ± 0.1) %, was obtained with the temperature of 970 °C and the diffusion time of 30 minutes.Asociación Argentina de Energías Renovables y Medio Ambiente (ASADES

Détermination du débit de filtration glomérulaire au cours de la drépanocytose au Sénégal: Schwartz, Cockcroft et Gault, MDRD, CKD-EPI ou JSCCS ?

La détermination du Débit de Filtration Glomérulaire (DFG) est importante chez les drépanocytaires du fait qu’ils constituent un groupe de patients chez lesquels des atteintes rénales sont fréquemment décrites notamment l’hyperfiltration glomérulaire. Dès lors, à une époque où les calculateurs en ligne proposent simultanément différentes formules de détermination du DFG, il serait important d’évaluer au sein d’une population noire africaine drépanocytaire l’équivalence entre ces formules qui ont été développées et validées sur des populations caucasiennes et afro-américaines à DFG normal ou diminué. Ainsi cette étude avait pour but d’évaluer l’interchangeabilité des différentes formules de détermination du DFG en les appliquant à des drépanocytaires. Des enfants et adultes sénégalais drépanocytaires homozygotes ont été alors recrutés et leur DFG calculé. La fréquence de l’hyperfiltration glomérulaire et celle de l’insuffisance rénale ont été calculées à partir des résultats obtenus avec les formules de Schwartz et du CKD-EPI. La concordance des différentes formules a été évaluée avec la méthode Bland-Altman. Au total 56 adultes et 62 enfants ont été inclus dans l’étude. L’insuffisance rénale a été notée chez 1,78% des adultes et 9,68% des enfants ; l’hyperfiltration glomérulaire chez 66,10% des adultes et 25,8% des enfants. Par rapport aux formules de référence (CKD-EPI, Schwartz), tous les biais relevés étaient significativement différents de zéro à l’exception de celui de Cockcroftet Gault qui était statistiquement nul. Les limites de concordance étaient toutes inacceptablement larges par rapport aux limites attendues à l’exception de celles du CKD-EPI sans ajustement sur la race. Ainsi, la formule de Schwartz n’était pas interchangeable avec celle du JSCCS chez les enfants, tout comme celle du CKD-EPI ne l’était pas non plus avec celles du JSCCS, de Cockcroft, du MDRD ou du CKD-EPI sans ajustement sur la race chez les adultes drépanocytaires.   English title: Determination of glomerular filtration rate in sickle cell disease in Senegal: Schwartz, Cockcroft and Gault, MDRD, CKD-EPI or JSCCS? Determination of Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) is important in patients living with sickle cell disease (SCD) because they constitute a group of patients where kidney dysfunction is frequently described, in particular glomerular hyperfiltration. Therefore, at a time when online calculators simultaneously propose different formulas to estimate GFR, it would be important to evaluate in a black African population living with SCD the equivalence between these formulas which have been developed and validated on Caucasian and African American populations with normal or decreased GFR. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate interchangeability of different GFR formulas in a group of patients living with SCD. Homozygous Senegalese sickle cell children and adults were then recruited and their GFR computed using Schwartz and JSCCS in children, Cockcroft and Gault, CKD-EPI with and without adjustment for ethnicity, MDRD and JSCCS formulas in adults. The frequency of glomerular hyperfiltration and renal failure was computed based on the results generated using Schwartz and CKD-EPI formulas. The agreement between formulas was assessed with BlandAltman method. A total of 56 adults and 62 children were included in this study. Renal failure was observed in 1.78% of adults and 9.68% of children; glomerular hyperfiltration in 66.10% of adults and 25.8% of children. Compared with reference formulas (CKD-EPI, Schwartz), all biases found were significantly different from zero except for Cockcroft and Gault formula bias, which was statistically zero. The limits of agreement were all unacceptably wide compared with the expected limits with the exception of CKD-EPI without adjustment for ethnicity. Thus, Schwartz formula would not be interchangeable with JSCCS formula in children, nor was the CKD-EPI formula interchangeable with the JSCCS, Cockcroft and Gault, MDRD or CKD-EPI without adjustment for ethnicity formulas in adults living with sickle cell anemia

Major Reduction in Anti-Malarial Drug Consumption in Senegal after Nation-Wide Introduction of Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Tests

BACKGROUND: While WHO recently recommended universal parasitological confirmation of suspected malaria prior to treatment, debate has continued as to whether wide-scale use of rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) can achieve this goal. Adherence of health service personnel to RDT results has been poor in some settings, with little impact on anti-malarial drug consumption. The Senegal national malaria control programme introduced universal parasite-based diagnosis using malaria RDTs from late 2007 in all public health facilities. This paper assesses the impact of this programme on anti-malarial drug consumption and disease reporting. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Nationally-collated programme data from 2007 to 2009 including malaria diagnostic outcomes, prescription of artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) and consumption of RDTs in public health facilities, were reviewed and compared. Against a marked seasonal variation in all-cause out-patient visits, non-malarial fever and confirmed malaria, parasite-based diagnosis increased nationally from 3.9% of reported malaria-like febrile illness to 86.0% over a 3 year period. The prescription of ACT dropped throughout this period from 72.9% of malaria-like febrile illness to 31.5%, reaching close equivalence to confirmed malaria (29.9% of 584,873 suspect fever cases). An estimated 516,576 courses of inappropriate ACT prescription were averted. CONCLUSIONS: The data indicate high adherence of anti-malarial prescribing practice to RDT results after an initial run-in period. The large reduction in ACT consumption enabled by the move from symptom-based to parasite-based diagnosis demonstrates that effective roll-out and use of malaria RDTs is achievable on a national scale through well planned and structured implementation. While more detailed information on management of parasite-negative cases is required at point of care level to assess overall cost-benefits to the health sector, considerable cost-savings were achieved in ACT procurement. Programmes need to be allowed flexibility in management of these funds to address increases in other programmatic costs that may accrue from improved diagnosis of febrile disease

Subclinical Cardiac Dysfunction Is Associated With Extracardiac Organ Damages

Background: Several studies conducted in America or Europe have described major cardiac remodeling and diastolic dysfunction in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). We aimed at assessing cardiac involvement in SCD in sub-Saharan Africa where SCD is the most prevalent.Methods: In Cameroon, Mali and Senegal, SCD patients and healthy controls of the CADRE study underwent transthoracic echocardiography if aged ≥10 years. The comparison of clinical and echocardiographic features between patients and controls, and the associations between echocardiographic features and the vascular complications of SCD were assessed.Results: 612 SCD patients (483 SS or Sβ0, 99 SC, and 19 Sβ+) and 149 controls were included. The prevalence of dyspnea and congestive heart failure was low and did not differ significantly between patients and controls. While left ventricular ejection fraction did not differ between controls and patients, left and right cardiac chambers were homogeneously more dilated and hypertrophic in patients compared to controls and systemic vascular resistances were lower (p < 0.001 for all comparisons). Three hundred and forty nine SCD patients had extra-cardiac organ damages (stroke, leg ulcer, priapism, microalbuminuria or osteonecrosis). Increased left ventricular mass index, cardiac dilatation, cardiac output, and decreased systemic vascular resistances were associated with a history of at least one SCD-related organ damage after adjustment for confounders.Conclusions: Cardiac dilatation, cardiac output, left ventricular hypertrophy, and systemic vascular resistance are associated with extracardiac SCD complications in patients from sub-Saharan Africa despite a low prevalence of clinical heart failure. The prognostic value of cardiac subclinical involvement in SCD patients deserves further studies

Effect of early tranexamic acid administration on mortality, hysterectomy, and other morbidities in women with post-partum haemorrhage (WOMAN): an international, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Background Post-partum haemorrhage is the leading cause of maternal death worldwide. Early administration of tranexamic acid reduces deaths due to bleeding in trauma patients. We aimed to assess the effects of early administration of tranexamic acid on death, hysterectomy, and other relevant outcomes in women with post-partum haemorrhage. Methods In this randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, we recruited women aged 16 years and older with a clinical diagnosis of post-partum haemorrhage after a vaginal birth or caesarean section from 193 hospitals in 21 countries. We randomly assigned women to receive either 1 g intravenous tranexamic acid or matching placebo in addition to usual care. If bleeding continued after 30 min, or stopped and restarted within 24 h of the first dose, a second dose of 1 g of tranexamic acid or placebo could be given. Patients were assigned by selection of a numbered treatment pack from a box containing eight numbered packs that were identical apart from the pack number. Participants, care givers, and those assessing outcomes were masked to allocation. We originally planned to enrol 15 000 women with a composite primary endpoint of death from all-causes or hysterectomy within 42 days of giving birth. However, during the trial it became apparent that the decision to conduct a hysterectomy was often made at the same time as randomisation. Although tranexamic acid could influence the risk of death in these cases, it could not affect the risk of hysterectomy. We therefore increased the sample size from 15 000 to 20 000 women in order to estimate the effect of tranexamic acid on the risk of death from post-partum haemorrhage. All analyses were done on an intention-to-treat basis. This trial is registered with ISRCTN76912190 (Dec 8, 2008); ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00872469; and PACTR201007000192283. Findings Between March, 2010, and April, 2016, 20 060 women were enrolled and randomly assigned to receive tranexamic acid (n=10 051) or placebo (n=10 009), of whom 10 036 and 9985, respectively, were included in the analysis. Death due to bleeding was significantly reduced in women given tranexamic acid (155 [1·5%] of 10 036 patients vs 191 [1·9%] of 9985 in the placebo group, risk ratio [RR] 0·81, 95% CI 0·65–1·00; p=0·045), especially in women given treatment within 3 h of giving birth (89 [1·2%] in the tranexamic acid group vs 127 [1·7%] in the placebo group, RR 0·69, 95% CI 0·52–0·91; p=0·008). All other causes of death did not differ significantly by group. Hysterectomy was not reduced with tranexamic acid (358 [3·6%] patients in the tranexamic acid group vs 351 [3·5%] in the placebo group, RR 1·02, 95% CI 0·88–1·07; p=0·84). The composite primary endpoint of death from all causes or hysterectomy was not reduced with tranexamic acid (534 [5·3%] deaths or hysterectomies in the tranexamic acid group vs 546 [5·5%] in the placebo group, RR 0·97, 95% CI 0·87-1·09; p=0·65). Adverse events (including thromboembolic events) did not differ significantly in the tranexamic acid versus placebo group. Interpretation Tranexamic acid reduces death due to bleeding in women with post-partum haemorrhage with no adverse effects. When used as a treatment for postpartum haemorrhage, tranexamic acid should be given as soon as possible after bleeding onset. Funding London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Pfizer, UK Department of Health, Wellcome Trust, and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation