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• In this research work, three different types of CIGSe-based thin film solar cells (TFSCs) such as CISe, CIGSe, and CIGSe bilayer TFSCs are simulated through SCAPS software. • Comparative study on the solar cell parameters of these CI(G)Se TFSCs and finding the best conditions for achieving high device performance are the novel approaches of this research work. • The device's performance is optimized to get maximum efficiency by analyzing the material properties, such as thickness and carrier concentrations of CI(G)Se, CdS, ZnO, and ZnO:Al materials used in CIGSe-based thin film solar cells. • The experimentally obtained parameters of CIGSe thin films deposited by the hybrid deposition method and CdS thin films deposited by the chemical bath deposition method are also analyzed through this simulation and obtained more than 20% efficiency, showing potential to get high device performance. • Finally, the influence of defects (present in the absorber layer, buffer layer, and their interface), work temperatures, and parasitic resistances on the solar cell parameters are investigated. • Understanding the results obtained from the theoretical modeling can help in designing the experimental work, saving material resources and research time. The copper indium selenium/copper indium gallium selenium (CI(G)Se)-based thin film solar cells (TFSCs) have been fascinating in the photovoltaic market due to their potential to attain high efficiency of solar cells and modules at relatively little cost. This research work introduces the simulation of the CI(G)Se TFSCs through SCAPS software. Some parameters like thickness, bandgap, and carrier concentration of semiconducting materials used in the CI(G)Se TFSCs were optimized to get the solar cell efficiency as high as possible. The optimized efficiencies for CISe, CIGSe, and CIGSe bilayer TFSCs were 22.81, 27.32, and 27.99%, respectively. It is seen from the results that the device's performance using two absorber layers in CI(G)Se TFSCs was comparatively higher than using a single absorber layer. This outcome is mainly due to the better absorption of photons in CI(G)Se TFSCs containing two absorber layers. The SCAPS software also analyzed the experimentally obtained parameters of CI(G)Se and CdS thin films and noticed more than 20% efficiency, showing potential parameters to use in commercial applications. The effect of defects found in the CI(G)Se absorber layer, CdS buffer layer, and CdS/CI(G)Se interface on the solar cell parameters are primarily studied here. It is observed that the increasing defects in the CI(G)Se TFSCs could impact negatively the device's performance by recombining the generated charge carriers. Better results were found for CI(G)Se TFSCs at a lower work temperature (by reducing the saturation current, and at a smaller series resistance value as well as a larger shunt resistance value (by reducing the alternative paths for generated charge carriers). Therefore, understanding these results could provide complete information on the optimization process that can serve as a guide to achieve highly efficient electronic devices experimentally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a mathematical model for a solar Dish/Stirling system. Firstly, it is presented a methodology to calculate the appropriate angles and characterize the solar tracking control system for the city of Itajubá-MG/Brazil, in order to maximize the heat flow on the cavity of the receiver. Secondly, it was developed an algorithm for sizing and to determine the effects of opto-geometric parameters on the overall efficiency of the Dish/Stirling system. The model allows defining different configurations and geometric distances between the concentrator and the receiver, in order to obtain the desired heat in the receiver cavity. Finally, it is carried out a thermal balance for the evaluation of the maximum efficiency and overall efficiency of the system. The results obtained for a concentrator with a diameter of 10.5 [m] and solar irradiation of 1000 W/m 2 are: theoretical maximum working temperature in the receiver surface of 1596 K and a maximum thermal efficiency of 68%. It is observed that for collectors between 10 and 20 m of diameter, the overall efficiency variation is not significant (23–25%), since the variation of the temperature of the receiver and the thermal losses in the cavity are minimal for the evaluated conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• For multi-product systems, allocation of resources and residues is difficult. • Thermoeconomics is an ideal tool to carry out Life Cycle Assessment studies. • Environmental load allocated by traditional and thermoeconomic methods. • Advantages and disadvantages of allocation methods are presented in a case study. When analysing multi-product systems, the allocation of resources and waste in a Life Cycle Assessment presents a difficulty. This can be solved through thermoeconomic approaches. Thus, the objective of the present work was to carry out a comparative analysis between traditional methods, recommended by ISO 14000, and thermoeconomic methods in the Life Cycle Assessment of a cogeneration system composed of a gas microturbine and lithium bromide–water absorption systems. First, the system's total emissions were calculated, and then the allocation of resources was carried out. This allocation was achieved in three ways: traditional allocation, thermoeconomic allocation, and allocation through exergoenvironmental analysis. To carry out the last two allocations, the exergetic costs were calculated considering the physical structure and the productive structure of the production flows (using four different exergy breakdown models,). And with the result of the exergetic costs, the environmental impacts (environmental costs) were calculated through the thermoeconomic allocation and the exergoenvironmental analysis. The environmental impacts (environmental costs) found with allocations that use thermoeconomics were compared with those obtained by the Life Cycle Assessment with the traditional allocation (energetic and exergetic). Thus, it was found that the results obtained by the energy allocation and the allocation that uses the thermoeconomic model of total exergy have the highest environmental impact over the cold production. It was also found that there is no difference between using an exergetic allocation or thermoeconomic allocation if the system does not have many dissipative components, such as valves, and there is no need to know the influence of the components on the final environmental impact since both perform the same calculations with very few modifications. It was concluded that, when performing a thermoeconomic analysis on a system with valves, one can use any of the models studied, depending on how detailed one wants the results of their environmental impact to be. On the other hand, if the system does not contain many dissipative elements or one does not need a detailed result, one should just make the traditional exergy allocation. Moreover, if it is necessary to know which component has the greatest environmental impact, the exergoenvironmental analysis should be used. Thus, this work contributes to a compilation of all the thermodynamic models used to date, and how they can be applied in a Life Cycle Assessment to generate more detailed results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter that plays a variety of roles in the central nervous system. It was previously shown that blocking muscarinic receptors with a nonselective antagonist prevents a form of experience-dependent plasticity termed "spatiotemporal sequence learning" in the mouse primary visual cortex (V1). Muscarinic signaling is a complex process involving the combined activities of five different G protein-coupled receptors, M1-M5, all of which are expressed in the murine brain but differ from each other functionally and in anatomical localization. Here we present electrophysiological evidence that M2, but not M1, receptors are required for spatiotemporal sequence learning in mouse V1. We show in male mice that M2 is highly expressed in the neuropil in V1, especially in thalamorecipient layer 4, and colocalizes with the soma in a subset of somatostatin-expressing neurons in deep layers. We also show that expression of M2 receptors is higher in the monocular region of V1 than it is in the binocular region but that the amount of experience-dependent sequence potentiation is similar in both regions and that blocking muscarinic signaling after visual stimulation does not prevent plasticity. This work establishes a new functional role for M2-type receptors in processing temporal information and demonstrates that monocular circuits are modified by experience in a manner similar to binocular circuits. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Muscarinic acetylcholine receptors are required for multiple forms of plasticity in the brain and support perceptual functions, but the precise role of the five subtypes (M1-M5) are unclear. Here we show that the M2 receptor is specifically required to encode experience-dependent representations of spatiotemporal relationships in both monocular and binocular regions of mouse V1. This work identifies a novel functional role for M2 receptors in coding temporal information into cortical circuits.

Background: Hypertension affects approximately 1 in 2 adults in the US. Home blood pressure (BP) monitoring programs are effective in the diagnosis and management of hypertension. Free clinics serve as an integral safety net for millions of uninsured and economically disadvantaged patients in the US. The feasibility and effects of a free home BP monitoring and follow-up program in a free clinic setting is not well characterized., Methods: This was a prospective study of the implementation of a pilot BP monitoring and follow-up program between March 2021 and August 2023 at 2 free clinics in the San Francisco Bay Area. A total of 78 hypertensive patients were enrolled in the program and given a free BP monitor. We surveyed via telephone the change in systolic and diastolic BPs and BP monitor use and comfort at 3 weeks. Volunteers in clinic roles involved in the BP monitoring program were surveyed to assess their time spent and perceptions of the program., Results: Of the 78 patients, 37 provided responses to the 3-week survey. A total of 36 of 37 (97%) patients reported using their BP monitor. A total of 35 patients reported using it at least once a week (95%), with the majority reporting at least four uses a week (68%). A total of 36 patients (97%) planned on continuing to use their BP monitor. At 3 weeks, the mean systolic and diastolic BP changed by -6.40 mmHg (95% CI, -10.8 to -2.01 mmHg; P = .00577) and -2.72 mmHg (95% CI, -5.62 to 0.188 mmHg; P = .0657), respectively. The time commitment for this program ranged from 130 ± 51 min for program leaders to 16 ± 14 min per week for patient-facing roles. All volunteer roles (patient-facing, phone follow-up, program leaders) expressed that they had a clear understanding of their responsibilities in the program (median 4 on Likert scale, IQR 3-5)., Conclusion: Home BP monitoring and follow-up is feasible to implement in free clinics, resulting in high rates of patient engagement among respondents. Our findings suggest that home BP monitoring and follow-up programs may be beneficial in vulnerable patient populations., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

A family of giant KASH proteins, including C. elegans ANC-1 and mammalian Nesprin-1 and -2, are involved in organelle anchoring and are associated with multiple neurodevelopmental disorders including autism, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. However, little is known about how these proteins function in neurons. Moreover, the role of organelle anchoring in axon development is poorly understood. Here, we report that ANC-1 functions with the SLT-1 extracellular guidance cue to polarize ALM axon growth. This role for ANC-1 is specific to its longer ANC-1A and ANC-1C isoforms, suggesting that it is mechanistically distinct from previously described roles for ANC-1. We find that ANC-1 is required for the localization of a cluster of mitochondria to the base of the proximal axon. Furthermore, genetic and pharmacological studies indicate that ANC-1 functions with mitochondria to promote polarization of ALM axon growth. These observations reveal a mechanism whereby ANC-1 functions through mitochondria to polarize axon growth in response to SLT-1., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2022 Fischer et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

We introduce a method based on directed molecular self-assembly to manufacture and electrically characterise C-shape gold nanowires which clearly deviate from typical linear shape due to the design of the template guiding the assembly. To this end, gold nanoparticles are arranged in the desired shape on a DNA-origami template and enhanced to form a continuous wire through electroless deposition. C-shape nanowires with a size below 150nm on a [Formula: see text] substrate are contacted with gold electrodes by means of electron beam lithography. Charge transport measurements of the nanowires show hopping, thermionic and tunneling transports at different temperatures in the 4.2K to 293K range. The different transport mechanisms indicate that the C-shape nanowires consist of metallic segments which are weakly coupled along the wires.

Mitochondrial function affects many aspects of cellular physiology, and, most recently, its role in epigenetics has been reported. Mechanistically, how mitochondrial function alters DNA methylation patterns in the nucleus remains ill defined. Using a cell culture model of induced mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) depletion, in this study we show that progressive mitochondrial dysfunction leads to an early transcriptional and metabolic program centered on the metabolism of various amino acids, including those involved in the methionine cycle. We find that this program also increases DNA methylation, which occurs primarily in the genes that are differentially expressed. Maintenance of mitochondrial nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide reduced (NADH) oxidation in the context of mtDNA loss rescues methionine salvage and polyamine synthesis and prevents changes in DNA methylation and gene expression but does not affect serine/folate metabolism or transsulfuration. This work provides a novel mechanistic link between mitochondrial function and epigenetic regulation of gene expression that involves polyamine and methionine metabolism responding to changes in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. Given the implications of these findings, future studies across different physiological contexts and in vivo are warranted.