Simulation study of GaAsP/Si tandem solar cells

A model, adapted from the Shockley-Queisser detailed balance model to tandem solar cells with a monolithically grown GaAsxP1-x top junction on a Si bottom junction, has been developed. Updated data have been used for the absorption spectrums. Two surface geometries, flat and ideally textured, have been investigated. As an important improvement over existing models, the effects of threading-dislocations related Shockley-Read-Hall recombinations in the GaAsxP1-x cell, due to the lattice mismatch between the GaAsxP1-x epilayers and the Si substrate, have been taken into consideration. Auger recombinations in the Si bottom cell and luminescent coupling between the cells have also been considered. For a dislocation free 2-μm thick top cell, maximal theoretical efficiencies of 41.6% and 39.1% have been calculated for a textured and a flat surface, respectively. For threading dislocation (TD) densities below 10^4 cm^-2, the impact of TDs in the GaAsxP1-x layers on the solar cell performances is very limited. With TD densities over 10^5 cm^-2, the top cell open circuit voltage is reduced, hence the overall efficiency. For TD densities over 4×10^6 cm^-2, as the diffusion length of minority carriers in the base gets smaller than the base thickness, the short circuit current in the top GaAsxP1-x cell is also reduced, resulting in a decrease in the optimal top cell bandgap. Using non ideal EQEs and surface recombination rates from published experimental data, the long-term efficiency potential of the investigated technology has been estimated to be ~35.1% for an ideally textured GaAsxP1 x/Si tandem cell with a TD density of 10^5 cm^-2 (~33.0% with a flat surface)

Simulation study of GaAsP/Si tandem cells including the impact of threading dislocations on the luminescent coupling between the cells

A model, derived from the detailed balance model from Shockley and Queisser, has been adapted to monolithically grown GaAsP/Si tandem dual junction solar cells. In this architecture, due to the difference of lattice parameters between the silicon bottom cell – acting as the substrate – and the GaAsP top cell, threading dislocations (TDs) arise at the III-V/Si interface and propagate in the top cell. These TDs act as non-radiative recombination centers, degrading the performances of the tandem cell. Our model takes into account the impact of TDs by integrating the NTT model developed by Yamaguchi et. al.. Two surface geometries have been investigated: flat and ideally textured. Finally the model considers the luminescent coupling (LC) between the cells due to reemitted photons from the top cell cascading to the bottom cell. Without dislocations, LC allows a greater flexibility in the cell design by rebalancing the currents between the two cells when the top cell presents a higher short-circuit current. However we show that, as the TD density (TDD) increases, non-radiative recombinations take over radiative recombinations in the top cell and the LC is quenched. As a result, non-optimized tandem cells with higher short-circuit current in the top cell experience a very fast degradation of efficiency for TDDs over 10^4cm^-2. On the other hand optimized cells with matching currents only experience a small efficiency drop for TDDs up to 10^5cm^-2. High TDD cells therefore need to be current-matched for optimal performances as the flexibility due to LC is lost

1.7eV Al0.2Ga0.8As solar cells epitaxially grown on silicon by SSMBE using a superlattice and dislocation filters

Lattice-mismatched 1.7eV Al0.2Ga0.8As photovoltaic solar cells have been monolithically grown on Si substrates using Solid Source Molecular Beam Epitaxy (SSMBE). As a consequence of the 4%-lattice-mismatch, threading dislocations (TDs) nucleate at the interface between the Si substrate and III-V epilayers and propagate to the active regions of the cell. There they act as recombination centers and degrade the performances of the cell. In our case, direct AlAs/GaAs superlattice growth coupled with InAlAs/AlAs strained layer superlattice (SLS) dislocation filter layers (DFLSs) have been used to reduce the TD density from 1×10^9cm^-2 to 1(±0.2)×10^7cm^-2. Lattice-matched Al0.2Ga0.8As cells have also been grown on GaAs as a reference. The best cell grown on silicon exhibits a Voc of 964mV, compared with a Voc of 1128mV on GaAs. Fill factors of respectively 77.6% and 80.2% have been calculated. Due to the lack of an anti-reflection coating and the non-optimized architecture of the devices, relatively low Jsc have been measured: 7.30mA.cm^-2 on Si and 6.74mA.cm^-2 on GaAs. The difference in short-circuit currents is believed to be caused by a difference of thickness between the samples due to discrepancies in the calibration of the MBE prior to each growth. The bandgap-voltage offset of the cells, defined as Eg/q-Voc, is relatively high on both substrates with 736mV measured on Si versus 572mV on GaAs. The non-negligible TD density partly explains this result on Si. On GaAs, non-ideal growth conditions are possibly responsible for these suboptimal performances

Legionella pneumophila induces human beta Defensin-3 in pulmonary cells

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Legionella pneumophila </it>is an important causative agent of severe pneumonia in humans. Human alveolar epithelium and macrophages are effective barriers for inhaled microorganisms and actively participate in the initiation of innate host defense. The beta defensin-3 (hBD-3), an antimicrobial peptide is an important component of the innate immune response of the human lung. Therefore we hypothesize that hBD-3 might be important for immune defense towards <it>L. pneumophila</it>.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We investigated the effects of <it>L. pneumophila </it>and different TLR agonists on pulmonary cells in regard to hBD-3 expression by ELISA. Furthermore, siRNA-mediated inhibition of TLRs as well as chemical inhibition of potential downstream signaling molecules was used for functional analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p><it>L. pneumophila </it>induced release of hBD-3 in pulmonary epithelium and alveolar macrophages. A similar response was observed when epithelial cells were treated with different TLR agonists. Inhibition of TLR2, TLR5, and TLR9 expression led to a decreased hBD-3 expression. Furthermore expression of hBD-3 was mediated through a JNK dependent activation of AP-1 (c-Jun) but appeared to be independent of NF-κB. Additionally, we demonstrate that hBD-3 elicited a strong antimicrobial effect on <it>L. pneumophila </it>replication.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Taken together, human pulmonary cells produce hBD-3 upon <it>L. pneumophila </it>infection via a TLR-JNK-AP-1-dependent pathway which may contribute to an efficient innate immune defense.</p

An Anatomy Massive Open Online Course as a Continuing Professional Development Tool for Healthcare Professionals

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) remain a novel and under-evaluated learning tool within anatomical and medical education. This study aimed to provide valuable information by using an anatomy MOOC to investigate the demographic profile, patterns of engagement and self-perceived benefits to healthcare professionals. A 21-item survey aimed at healthcare professionals was embedded into the Exploring Anatomy: The Human Abdomen MOOC, in April 2016. The course attracted 2711 individual learners with 94 of these completing the survey, and 79 of those confirming they worked full- or part-time as healthcare professionals. Variations in use across healthcare profession (allied healthcare professional, nurse or doctor) were explored using a Fisher’s exact test to calculate significance across demographic, motivation and engagement items; one-way ANOVA was used to compare self-perceived benefits. Survey data revealed that 53.2% were allied healthcare professionals, 35.4% nurses and 11.4% doctors. Across all professions, the main motivation for enrolling was to learn new things in relation to their clinical practice, with a majority following the prescribed course pathway and utilising core, and clinically relevant, material. The main benefits were in relation to improving anatomy knowledge, which enabled better support for patients. This exploratory study assessing engagement and self-perceived benefits of an anatomy MOOC has shown a high level of ordered involvement, with some indicators suggesting possible benefits to patients by enhancing the subject knowledge of those enrolled. It is suggested that this type of learning tool should be further explored as an approach to continuing professional, and interprofessional, education

Metabolic Adaptation in Transplastomic Plants Massively Accumulating Recombinant Proteins

BACKGROUND: Recombinant chloroplasts are endowed with an astonishing capacity to accumulate foreign proteins. However, knowledge about the impact on resident proteins of such high levels of recombinant protein accumulation is lacking. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Here we used proteomics to characterize tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) plastid transformants massively accumulating a p-hydroxyphenyl pyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD) or a green fluorescent protein (GFP). While under the conditions used no obvious modifications in plant phenotype could be observed, these proteins accumulated to even higher levels than ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco), the most abundant protein on the planet. This accumulation occurred at the expense of a limited number of leaf proteins including Rubisco. In particular, enzymes involved in CO(2) metabolism such as nuclear-encoded plastidial Calvin cycle enzymes and mitochondrial glycine decarboxylase were found to adjust their accumulation level to these novel physiological conditions. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The results document how protein synthetic capacity is limited in plant cells. They may provide new avenues to evaluate possible bottlenecks in recombinant protein technology and to maintain plant fitness in future studies aiming at producing recombinant proteins of interest through chloroplast transformation

Mitochondrial Fragmentation Is Involved in Methamphetamine-Induced Cell Death in Rat Hippocampal Neural Progenitor Cells

Methamphetamine (METH) induces neurodegeneration through damage and apoptosis of dopaminergic nerve terminals and striatal cells, presumably via cross-talk between the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria-dependent death cascades. However, the effects of METH on neural progenitor cells (NPC), an important reservoir for replacing neurons and glia during development and injury, remain elusive. Using a rat hippocampal NPC (rhNPC) culture, we characterized the METH-induced mitochondrial fragmentation, apoptosis, and its related signaling mechanism through immunocytochemistry, flow cytometry, and Western blotting. We observed that METH induced rhNPC mitochondrial fragmentation, apoptosis, and inhibited cell proliferation. The mitochondrial fission protein dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) and reactive oxygen species (ROS), but not calcium (Ca2+) influx, were involved in the regulation of METH-induced mitochondrial fragmentation. Furthermore, our results indicated that dysregulation of ROS contributed to the oligomerization and translocation of Drp1, resulting in mitochondrial fragmentation in rhNPC. Taken together, our data demonstrate that METH-mediated ROS generation results in the dysregulation of Drp1, which leads to mitochondrial fragmentation and subsequent apoptosis in rhNPC. This provides a potential mechanism for METH-related neurodegenerative disorders, and also provides insight into therapeutic strategies for the neurodegenerative effects of METH

internationalization strategies and policies in second tier higher education institutions

This study addresses the major objectives and challenges in the internationalization processes of second-tier higher education institutions. We use the examples of universities of applied sciences in the Netherlands, academic colleges in Israel, and community colleges in Canada to offer a global perspective regarding the internationalization efforts in these types of institutions. Through comprehensive comparative analysis of secondary sources, we identify the trends taking place within these types of higher education institutions in these countries. We find that second-tier institutions tend not to have solidified for themselves tailored internationalization approaches and strategies that are uniquely fitting to their own missions, aims and student populations. This oversight creates a situation whereby such institutions, despite their culturally diverse student populations and the promise they hold to create a unique niche within internationalization discourse, fail to utilize the potential inherent in targeted internationalization strategies