Efficiency of silicon thin-film photovoltaic modules with a front coloured glass

Photovoltaic electricity has already proven its ability to compete with other well established technologies for energy production. The abundant and non-toxic raw materials, the yearly increasing efficiency as well as the production cost of silicon thin-film solar cells getting lower and lower make this technology always more interesting for a wide spread use. Beside the functional features, the size, colour and glass texture of a PV module determine its appearance and aesthetics. In order to be more compliant with the built environment, photovoltaic installations have to be improved in terms of visual rendering, matching of colour of the existing roof-tops and parasitic reflections. The crystalline technology already offers various types of systems with a large choice of shapes, textures and colours as well as “semi-transparent” modules more easily integrated in the roof-tops or facade. By changing the anti-reflective coating (ARC) of a crystalline solar cell, it is possible to modify their colour [1]. However, for thin-film silicon technology the challenge is completely different, and up to now, the only way to modify the module colour is to reduce the thickness of the active layer and consequently its efficiency. Therefore new ways to enhance the visual rendering of the thin-film modules have to be explored. A study led in the frame of the ArchinSolar project [2] has shown that architects are ready to integrate PV modules with enhanced aesthetic aspect, even though there was a 10 % loss in efficiency. The present study shows how new coloured filters can be used to enhance PV modules’ appearance while minimizing power loss, to achieve a better integration in the traditional urban or rural environment

Global proteome changes in the rat diaphragm induced by endurance exercise training

Mechanical ventilation (MV) is a life-saving intervention for many critically ill patients. Unfor- tunately, prolonged MV results in the rapid development of diaphragmatic atrophy and weakness. Importantly, endurance exercise training results in a diaphragmatic phenotype that is protected against ventilator-induced diaphragmatic atrophy and weakness. The mechanisms responsible for this exercise-induced protection against ventilator-induced dia- phragmatic atrophy remain unknown. Therefore, to investigate exercise-induced changes in diaphragm muscle proteins, we compared the diaphragmatic proteome from sedentary and exercise-trained rats. Specifically, using label-free liquid chromatography-mass spectrome- try, we performed a proteomics analysis of both soluble proteins and mitochondrial proteins isolated from diaphragm muscle. The total number of diaphragm proteins profiled in the sol- uble protein fraction and mitochondrial protein fraction were 813 and 732, respectively. Endurance exercise training significantly (P<0.05, FDR <10%) altered the abundance of 70 proteins in the soluble diaphragm proteome and 25 proteins of the mitochondrial proteome. In particular, key cytoprotective proteins that increased in relative abundance following exer- cise training included mitochondrial fission process 1 (Mtfp1; MTP18), 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase (3MPST), microsomal glutathione S-transferase 3 (Mgst3; GST-III), and heat shock protein 70 kDa protein 1A/1B (HSP70). While these proteins are known to be cytoprotective in several cell types, the cyto-protective roles of these proteins have yet to be fully elucidated in diaphragm muscle fibers. Based upon these important findings, future experiments can now determine which of these diaphragmatic proteins are sufficient and/or required to promote exercise-induced protection against inactivity-induced muscle atrophy

Sexual counseling of cardiovascular patients in Europe: Culture matters

BACKGROUND: Sexual problems are common amongst cardiac patients, and concerns may arise when resuming sexual activities after a cardiac event. Sexual counselling is therefore indispensible. Culture is an identified barrier to talking about sex, but research is lacking on whether and how culture influences nurses in providing sexual counselling. DESIGN: This cross-sectional descriptive study assessed four areas related to sexual counselling provided by cardiovascular nurses. We investigated the impact of culture on these areas by surveying cardiovascular nurses living in Denmark, Norway and two regions of Belgium - Flanders, Dutch-speaking region and Wallonia, French-speaking region. METHODS: Overall, 819 participants were recruited as they attended cardiovascular nursing congresses in Denmark, Norway and Belgium. Subjects completed the Undertaking Nursing Interventions Throughout Europe (UNITE) sexual counselling questionnaire, measuring practice, responsibility, confidence and perceived comfort of patients. Controlling for demographic, educational and professional covariates, we performed multiple linear regression analysis to determine the impact of culture on sexual counselling. RESULTS: All four subscale scores were independently associated with culture. Danish nurses counselled patients significantly more often, reported feeling more responsibility and confidence and estimated more comfort in patients than Norwegian, Flemish and Walloon nurses. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that culture matters with respect to sexual counselling for cardiac patients. Interventions should be developed improving sexual counselling of cardiac patients. Educational courses and training of healthcare professionals on sexual counselling should be more sensitive to sociocultural differences. Cross-cultural perspectives may bias attitudes of professionals as they deal with concerns of cardiac patients about resuming sexual activity.status: publishe

Sexual counselling of cardiac patients in Europe: Culture matters

Background: Sexual problems are common amongst cardiac patients, and concerns may arise when resuming sexual activities after a cardiac event. Sexual counselling is therefore indispensible. Culture is an identified barrier to talking about sex, but research is lacking on whether and how culture influences nurses in providing sexual counselling. Design: This cross-sectional descriptive study assessed four areas related to sexual counselling provided by cardiovascular nurses. We investigated the impact of culture on these areas by surveying cardiovascular nurses living in Denmark, Norway and two regions of Belgium - Flanders, Dutch-speaking region and Wallonia, French-speaking region. Methods: Overall, 819 participants were recruited as they attended cardiovascular nursing congresses in Denmark, Norway and Belgium. Subjects completed the Undertaking Nursing Interventions Throughout Europe (UNITE) sexual counselling questionnaire, measuring practice, responsibility, confidence and perceived comfort of patients. Controlling for demographic, educational and professional covariates, we performed multiple linear regression analysis to determine the impact of culture on sexual counselling. Results: All four subscale scores were independently associated with culture. Danish nurses counselled patients significantly more often, reported feeling more responsibility and confidence and estimated more comfort in patients than Norwegian, Flemish and Walloon nurses. Conclusions: This study showed that culture matters with respect to sexual counselling for cardiac patients. Interventions should be developed improving sexual counselling of cardiac patients. Educational courses and training of healthcare professionals on sexual counselling should be more sensitive to sociocultural differences. Cross-cultural perspectives may bias attitudes of professionals as they deal with concerns of cardiac patients about resuming sexual activity. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd

Isokinetic fatigue resistance tests

peer reviewe

Negotiating climate change: The search for joint risk management

That human activities play a role in climate warming is well known worldwide. It is the subject of global public opinion building and debate, intergovernmental decision making, and international negotiation. The widely shared concern about this issue is due to the negative, often catastrophic, consequences that are expected to result from climate warming. Atmospheric temperature increases may certainly improve living conditions for people in some parts of the world -- for example, improving growing conditions for certain crops in some areas of northern Scandinavia. However, many more people are expected to be affected by climate-driven disasters. Rising water levels will, for example, put large areas of land under water; redistribution of precipitation will increase the likelihood of serious floods in some parts of the world and of more severe droughts in others; or there will be a growing frequency of storms and hurricanes. The secondary effects of such changes in weather conditions will be decreasing harvests and increasing health problems

What are the motivating and hindering factors for health professionals to undertake new roles in hospitals? A study among physicians, nurses and managers looking at breast cancer and acute myocardial infarction care in nine countries

Background: Many European countries experience health workforce skill-mix changes due to population ageing, multimorbidity and medical technology. Yet, there is limited cross-country research in hospitals. Methods: Cross-sectional, observational study on staff role changes and contributing factors in nine European countries. Survey of physicians, nurses and managers (n = 1524) in 112 hospitals treating patients with breast cancer or acute myocardial infarction. Group differences were analysed across country clusters (skill-mix reform countries [England, Scotland and the Netherlands] versus no reform countries [Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Norway, Poland and Turkey]) and stratified by physicians, nurses and managers, using Chi-squared, Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal Wallis tests. Results: Nurses in countries with major skill-mix reforms reported more frequently being motivated to undertake a new role (66.5%) and having the opportunity to do so (52.4%), compared to nurses in countries with no reforms (39.2%; 24.8%; p &lt; .001 each). Physicians and nurses considered intrinsic motivating factors (personal satisfaction, use of qualifications) more motivating than extrinsic factors (salary, career opportunities). Reported barriers were workforce shortages, facilitators were professional and management support. Managers’ recruitment decisions on choice of staff were mainly influenced by skills, competences and experience of staff. Conclusion: Managers need to know the motivational factors of their employees and enabling versus hindering factors within their organisations to govern change effectively