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OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the indirect effect of paediatric 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) vaccination on people ≥65 years of age with invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in Catalonia and to determine factors predictive of mortality. METHODS: During 2014-2016, 1285 IPD cases were reported to the Public Health Agency of Catalonia. The indirect effect of paediatric PCV13 vaccination was calculated by comparing the incidence rate (IR) in 2016 (PCV13 year) with that in 2009 (pre-PCV13). Predictors of mortality were determined using multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: Comparing 2016 and 2009, IPD decreased by 19% (IR 40.1 and 32.5 per 100 000 person-years, respectively). PCV13 serotypes decreased by 57% (IR 23.7 and 10.1), while non-PCV13 serotypes increased by 36% (IR 16.4 and 22.4). During 2014-2016, the mortality rate was 17.5%, and mortality was associated with age ≥85 years (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.91, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.89, 4.48), meningitis (aOR 2.29, 95% CI 1.25, 4.19), non-focal bacteraemia (aOR 3.73, 95% CI 2.00, 6.94), and ≥1 high-risk condition (aOR 1.89, 95% CI 1.08, 3.32). PPV23non13 serotypes were associated with lower mortality than PCV13 serotypes (aOR 0.54, 95% CI 0.34, 0.86). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of IPD in people ≥65 years of age decreased after the introduction of paediatric PCV13, and this was due to a reduction in PCV13 serotypes, although an increase in non-PCV13 serotypes was observed. Mortality was associated with age, meningitis, non-focal bacteraemia, ≥1 high-risk condition, and PCV13 serotypes. This study was partially supported by SpIDnet (Assessing the impact of vaccination with conjugate vaccines on the epidemiology of invasive pneumococcal disease in Europe), a network funded by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control ( ECDC/2015/031 ); the Catalan Agency for the Management of Grants for University Research ( AGAUR Grant number 2017/SGR 1342 and 2017/SGR 0742 ); the Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública ( CIBERESP CB06/02/0076 and CB15/00067 ); and the Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Respiratorias ( CIBERES CB06/06/0037 ). Sí

A theoretical analysis of the OCVD transients in solar cells has been done taking into account capacitive effects affecting the decay. An experimental method is described which improves the accuracy of measurements. Numerical and experimental verification of the predicted results is also described.

A methodology for evaluation of band gap narrowing (BGN) in the heavily doped emitter region of solar cells, using independent measurements of the emitter and base lifetimes and relaxation time is presented. The method is based on the theory developed by F.A. Lind-holm, using the charge control model. The measurements of τB and τE has been made using a transient laser induced photocurrent technique. Also is presented a discussion on the Open Circuit Voltage Decay (O.C.V.D.) method in order to measure the relaxation time τm.

A numerical simulation of the open circuit voltage decay of junction solar cells has been done including a double exponential model for DC I(V) characteristics and dynamic capacitive effects arising from quasineutral and space-charge regions