Comparison between SiN x :H and hydrogen passivation of electromagnetically casted multicrystalline silicon material

International audienceThis work intends to compare two different passivation methods for electromagnetically continuous pulling silicon (EMCP): remote plasma hydrogenation and remote plasma enhanced CVD of SiN followed by high-temperature sintering. All experiments are carried out on textured and non-textured EMCP samples from the same ingot. To check the effect of high-temperature diffusion on EMCP, a n +-emitter is formed on one group of the samples using POCl 3 diffusion. Passivation capabilities of both techniques are checked using measurements of minority carrier lifetime by means of microwave photoconductance decay mapping. Solar cells are made to compare lifetime measurement with cell parameters.

Histone demethylase KDM4B regulates otic vesicle invagination via epigenetic control of Dlx3 expression

In vertebrates, the inner ear arises from the otic placode, a thickened swathe of ectoderm that invaginates to form the otic vesicle. We report that histone demethylase KDM4B is dynamically expressed during early stages of chick inner ear formation. A loss of KDM4B results in defective invagination and striking morphological changes in the otic epithelium, characterized by abnormal localization of adhesion and cytoskeletal molecules and reduced expression of several inner ear markers, including Dlx3. In vivo chromatin immunoprecipitation reveals direct and dynamic occupancy of KDM4B and its target, H3K9me3, at regulatory regions of the Dlx3 locus. Accordingly, coelectroporations of DLX3 or KDM4B encoding constructs, but not a catalytically dead mutant of KDM4B, rescue the ear invagination phenotype caused by KDM4B knockdown. Moreover, a loss of DLX3 phenocopies a loss of KDM4B. Collectively, our findings suggest that KDM4B play a critical role during inner ear invagination via modulating histone methylation of the direct target Dlx3

An evaluation of 9-1-1 calls to assess the effectiveness of dispatch-assisted cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) instructions: design and methodology

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Cardiac arrest is the leading cause of mortality in Canada, and the overall survival rate for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest rarely exceeds 5%. Bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) has been shown to increase survival for cardiac arrest victims. However, bystander CPR rates remain low in Canada, rarely exceeding 15%, despite various attempts to improve them. Dispatch-assisted CPR instructions have the potential to improve rates of bystander CPR and many Canadian urban communities now offer instructions to callers reporting a victim in cardiac arrest. Dispatch-assisted CPR instructions are recommended by the International Guidelines on Emergency Cardiovascular Care, but their ability to improve cardiac arrest survival remains unclear.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>The overall goal of this study is to better understand the factors leading to successful dispatch-assisted CPR instructions and to ultimately save the lives of more cardiac arrest patients. The study will utilize a before-after, prospective cohort design to specifically: 1) Determine the ability of 9-1-1 dispatchers to correctly diagnose cardiac arrest; 2) Quantify the frequency and impact of perceived agonal breathing on cardiac arrest diagnosis; 3) Measure the frequency with which dispatch-assisted CPR instructions can be successfully completed; and 4) Measure the impact of dispatch-assisted CPR instructions on bystander CPR and survival rates.</p> <p>The study will be conducted in 19 urban communities in Ontario, Canada. All 9-1-1 calls occurring in the study communities reporting out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in victims 16 years of age or older for which resuscitation was attempted will be eligible. Information will be obtained from 9-1-1 call recordings, paramedic patient care reports, base hospital records, fire medical records and hospital medical records. Victim, caller and system characteristics will be measured in the study communities before the introduction of dispatch-assisted CPR instructions (before group), during the introduction (run-in phase), and following the introduction (after group).</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>The study will obtain information essential to the development of clinical trials that will test a variety of educational approaches and delivery methods for telephone cardiopulmonary resuscitation instructions. This will be the first study in the world to clearly quantify the impact of dispatch-assisted CPR instructions on survival to hospital discharge for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest victims.</p> <p>Trial Registration</p> <p>ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00664443</p

Impact of early hearing screening and treatment on language development and education level: Evaluation of 6 years of universal newborn hearing screening (ALGO (R)) in Flanders, Belgium

Objectives: Early intervention in hearing-impaired children may improve language outcomes and subsequent school and occupational performance. The objective of this study was to retrospectively analyze over 6 years the educational outcome and language development of a first cohort of children, detected by the Flemish universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS) program based on automated auditory brainstem response (AABR), with the oldest children being in primary school.status: publishe