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This contribution studies the effect of ordered vacancy compounds (OVCs) on the minority carrier collection in wide‐gap (Ag,Cu)(In,Ga)Se2 (ACIGS) solar cells. For this purpose, three samples with different ([Ag]+[Cu])/([In]+[Ga]) (I/III) values were processed: 1) a very off‐stoichiometric absorber (I/III = 0.31), consisting of isolated chalcopyrite patches embedded in a major OVC bulk phase, 2) a moderately off‐stoichiometric absorber (I/III = 0.77) with OVC patches at the front and back interfaces and 3) a close‐stoichiometric absorber (I/III = 0.94) with only very few, isolated OVC patches. For each of these samples, synchrotron‐based X‐ray fluorescence (XRF) was measured on a nanoscale (55 nm resolution), while simultaneously recording the X‐ray beam induced current (XBIC). The results, complemented by transmission electron microscopy and electron‐beam induced current analyses, clearly indicate that the presence of the OVC phase reduces the carrier collection and thus the short‐circuit current density of off‐stoichiometric wide‐gap ACIGS solar cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The differentiation of resident intestinal macrophages from blood monocytes depends upon signals from the macrophage colony-stimulating factor receptor (CSF1R). Analysis of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) indicates that dysregulation of macrophage differentiation and response to microorganisms contributes to susceptibility to chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Here, we analyzed transcriptomic variation in monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) from affected and unaffected sib pairs/trios from 22 IBD families and 6 healthy controls. Transcriptional network analysis of the data revealed no overall or inter-sib distinction between affected and unaffected individuals in basal gene expression or the temporal response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). However, the basal or LPS-inducible expression of individual genes varied independently by as much as 100-fold between subjects. Extreme independent variation in the expression of pairs of HLA-associated transcripts (HLA-B/C, HLA-A/F and HLA-DRB1/DRB5) in macrophages was associated with HLA genotype. Correlation analysis indicated the downstream impacts of variation in the immediate early response to LPS. For example, variation in early expression of IL1B was significantly associated with local SNV genotype and with subsequent peak expression of target genes including IL23A, CXCL1, CXCL3, CXCL8 and NLRP3. Similarly, variation in early IFNB1 expression was correlated with subsequent expression of IFN target genes. Our results support the view that gene-specific dysregulation in macrophage adaptation to the intestinal milieu is associated with genetic susceptibility to IBD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tumor microenvironment (TME) is reprogrammed by cancer cells and participates in all stages of tumor progression. The contribution of stromal cells to the reprogramming of the TME is not well understood. Here, we provide evidence of the role of the cytokine oncostatin M (OSM) as central node for multicellular interactions between immune and nonimmune stromal cells and the epithelial cancer cell compartment. OSM receptor (OSMR) deletion in a multistage breast cancer model halted tumor progression. We ascribed causality to the stromal function of the OSM axis by demonstrating reduced tumor burden of syngeneic tumors implanted in mice lacking OSMR. Single-cell and bioinformatic analysis of murine and human breast tumors revealed that OSM expression was restricted to myeloid cells, whereas OSMR was detected predominantly in fibroblasts and, to a lower extent, cancer cells. Myeloid-derived OSM reprogrammed fibroblasts to a more contractile and tumorigenic phenotype and elicited the secretion of VEGF and proinflammatory chemokines CXCL1 and CXCL16, leading to increased myeloid cell recruitment. Collectively, our data support the notion that the stromal OSM/OSMR axis reprograms the immune and nonimmune microenvironment and plays a key role in breast cancer progression., Introduction The tumor microenvironment (TME), composed of different cell types (e.g., fibroblasts, adipocytes, endothelial and infiltrating immune cells), harbors complex cell interactions that are often manipulated and hijacked by tumor [...]

Recently, a record open‐circuit voltage (1.1 V) is obtained for wide‐bandgap Cu2ZnGeS4 (CZGS) thin‐film solar cells with a Zn1−xSnxOy (ZTO) buffer grown by atomic layer deposition (ALD) (N. Saini et al. Sol. RRL 2021, 2100837). However, a low short‐circuit current and a small variation in device performance with ZTO properties are observed, suggesting similar interface properties. Since the CZGS absorber cannot be etched due to peeling, it is suggested that the presence of an oxide interlayer can influence the device performance. Here, the chemical and electronic properties of the near‐surface region of CZGS absorber and its interface with ZTO buffers with varying properties (bandgap and thickness) are studied nondestructively by employing excitation‐dependent X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The formation of Ge oxide species is indicated at the absorber surface during device fabrication, which is preserved during ALD. Further, it is shown that the ZTO/CZGS interface properties are similar and not influenced by variations in ZTO properties, which can explain the small variation in device performance. Thus, attention shall be given to possible absorber surface cleaning treatment typically applied before the buffer deposition for Ge‐containing CZGS, and an optimization of the ALD ZTO buffer layer growth shall be considered for a non‐etched absorber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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