Effects of CdCl2 treatment on deep levels in CdTe and their implications on thin film solar cells; A comprehensive photoluminescence study

This work is aimed at studying defect level distributions in the bandgap of CdTe thin films, used for solar cell development. In particular, the effects of CdCl2 treatment on the defect levels are the main objectives of this research. Four different CdTe thin films were electroplated using three different Cd-precursors (CdSO4, Cd(NO3)2 and CdCl2), and bulk CdTe wafers purchased from industry (Eagle Pitcher and University Wafers in US) were studied using low temperature photoluminescence. The finger prints of defects, 0.55 eV below the conduction band down to the valence band edge were investigated. In all of the CdTe layers, four electron trap levels were observed with varying intensities but at very similar energy positions, indicating that the origin of these defects are mainly from native defects. CdCl2 treatment and annealing eliminates two defect levels and the mid-gap recombination centres are reduced drastically by this processing step. The optical bandgap of all four as-deposited CdTe layers is ~1.50 eV, and reduces to ~1.47 eV after CdCl2 treatment. The material grown using the CdCl2 precursor seems to produce CdTe material with the cleanest bandgap, most probably due to the built-in CdCl2 treatment while growing the material

Wellness through a comprehensive Yogic breathing program – A controlled pilot trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Increasing rates of psychosocial disturbances give rise to increased risks and vulnerability for a wide variety of stress-related chronic pain and other illnesses. Relaxation exercises aim at reducing stress and thereby help prevent these unwanted outcomes. One of the widely used relaxation practices is yoga and yogic breathing exercises. One specific form of these exercises is Sudarshan Kriya and related practices (SK&P) which are understood to have favourable effects on the mind-body system. The goal of this pilot study was to design a protocol that can investigate whether SK&P can lead to increased feeling of wellness in healthy volunteers.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Participants were recruited in a small university city in Sweden and were instructed in a 6-day intensive program of SK&P which they practiced daily for six weeks. The control group was instructed to relax in an armchair each day during the same period. Subjects included a total of 103 adults, 55 in the intervention (SK&P) group and 48 in the control group. Various instruments were administered before and after the intervention. Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale measured the degree of anxiety and depression, Life Orientation Test measured dispositional optimism, Stress and Energy Test measured individual's energy and stress experiences. Experienced Deviation from Normal State measured the experience of altered state of consciousness.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There were no safety issues. Compliance was high (only 1 dropout in the SK&P group, and 5 in the control group). Outcome measures appeared to be appropriate for assessing the differences between the groups. Subjective reports generally correlated with the findings from the instruments. The data suggest that participants in the SK&P group, but not the control group, lowered their degree of anxiety, depression and stress, and also increased their degree of optimism (ANOVA; p < 0.001). The participants in the yoga group experienced the practices as a positive event that induced beneficial effects.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These data indicate that the experimental protocol that is developed here is safe, compliance level is good, and a full scale trial is feasible. The data obtained suggest that adult participants may improve their wellness by learning and applying a program based on yoga and yogic breathing exercises; this can be conclusively assessed in a large-scale trial.</p> <p>Trial Registration</p> <p>Australian Clinical Trial Registry ACTRN012607000175471.</p

Second primary malignancies after treatment for malignant lymphoma

To determine the incidence and possible causes of second primary malignancies after treatment for Hodgkin's and Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL and NHL). A cohort of 3764 consecutive patients diagnosed with HL or NHL between January 1970 and July 2001 was identified using the Sheffield Lymphoma Group database. A search was undertaken for all patients diagnosed with a subsequent primary malignancy. Two matched controls were identified for each case. Odds ratios were calculated to detect and quantify any risk factors in the cases compared to their matched controls. Mean follow-up for the cohort was 5.2 years. A total of 68 patients who developed second cancers at least 6 months after their primary diagnosis were identified, giving a crude incidence of 1.89% overall: 3.21% among the patients treated for HL, 1.32% in those treated for NHL. Most common were bronchial, breast, colorectal and haematological malignancies. High stage at diagnosis almost reached statistical significance in the analysis of just the NHL patients (odds ratio=3.48; P=0.068) after adjustment for other factors. Treatment modality was not statistically significant in any analysis. High stage at diagnosis of NHL may be a risk factor for developing a second primary cancer

Changes in \u3cem\u3eStreptococcus pneumoniae\u3c/em\u3e Susceptibility in Wisconsin: Implications for Clinical Treatment Decisions for Respiratory Infections

Objective: In 2019, the American Thoracic Society and Infectious Diseases Society of America updated clinical practice guidelines for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). In contrast to guidelines published in 2007, macrolide monotherapy for outpatients was made a conditional recommendation based on resistance levels. Local knowledge of current antimicrobial susceptibility is needed to guide management of CAP and other bacterial respiratory pathogens. The purpose of this study was to investigate antimicrobial susceptibility profiles and trending for Wisconsin Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates. Design: Multi-center laboratory surveillance, with testing at a central location utilizing standardized susceptibility testing protocols. Methods: Data published by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) were augmented with data from the Surveillance of Wisconsin Organisms for Trends in Antimicrobial Resistance and Epidemiology (SWOTARE) program. Data were stratified by invasive or non-invasive sources, as well as DHS region and compared to data compiled from 2006-2010. Results: Susceptibility rates for ≥ 916 invasive S. pneumoniae assessed from 2016-2020 were greater than 91% for ceftriaxone, tetracycline, and fluoroquinolone agents and were generally higher than those from 354 non-invasive isolates. Low susceptibility rates were observed for invasive isolates of penicillin (78.7%) and erythromycin (64.8%) and were even lower for non-invasive isolates (73.8% and 59.9%, respectively). This erythromycin susceptibility rate was a significant reduction from that observed in 2006-2010 (80.4; P \u3c 0.0002). 24.8% of isolates generated an erythromycin MIC ≥ 8 μg/mL. Statewide geographic variability was noted. Conclusions: Rates of S. pneumoniae susceptibility to parenteral penicillins and cephems, and oral tetracycline and fluoroquinolone agents, remain high throughout Wisconsin. However, low oral penicillin susceptibility rates, taken together with declining macrolide susceptibility rates, should cause clinicians to consider alternative treatment options for respiratory tract infections, especially with macrolides