Taking into account that the absorption coefficient of realistic transparent conducing films exceeds the one of silicon close to its band gap, certain waveguide modes will enhance parasitic absorption in the transparent front contact. From an analysis based on the statistic distribution of energy among the available waveguide and radiation modes, we conclude that conventional thin film silicon solar cells with thick and nonideal contacts may fail to reach the previously noted bulk limit of 4n(Si)(2); instead, a more conservative limit of Dactolisib 4(n(Si)(2) – n(TCO)(2)) applies.

(C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3569689]“
“Highly flame-retardant rigid polyurethane (RPU) foams were prepared by vacuum impregnation or pressure impregnation of sodium polyborate (SPB) solution. The RPU foams (10 mm thickness,

134-690% SPB) endured the flame of a butane gas burner for 167-1144 s, and the backside temperatures remained below 45 degrees C until penetration occurred. The heat releases from the RPU foams with 150 and 400% SPB in air in the cone calorimeter tests were 8.8 and 4.1 MJ/m(2), respectively. The analyses with thermogravimetry, differential scanning calorimetry, and scanning electron microscopy indicated the flame-retardant mechanism, in which the SPB foam and the formed char SCH772984 clinical trial layer together insulated the inside from oxygen gas SHP099 in vitro and heat. (C) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 122: 1707-1711, 2011″
“Estrogen has important roles in the initiation and development of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Regulators of the estrogen receptor (ER) are tissue- and cell-specific. We evaluated the effect of estrogen antagonist, raloxifene (Ral), on the prevention and treatment of BPH by investigating its effect on the proliferation of two different prostate cell lines: a stromal cell line, WPMY-1, and a benign prostatic hyperplasia epithelial cell line, BPH-1. We additionally

evaluated its effect on prostatic hyperplasia induced by estrogen and androgen in a rat model. The effect of Ral on the prevention of prostatic hyperplasia was analyzed by haematoxylin and eosin staining and quantitative immunohistochemistry (IHC) for proliferating cell nuclear antigen and alpha-smooth muscle actin. In vitro and in vivo, tamoxifen (Tam), another anti-estrogen drug, and finasteride (Fin), a drug for the clinical treatment of BPH, served as efficacy controls. The in vitro data showed that neither Ral nor Tam alone affected the proliferation of WPMY-1 and BPH-1, but both antagonized the effect of oestradiol in promoting the proliferation of the two cells. Results from the IHC staining of the rat prostates indicated that, similar to Tam and Fin, Ral inhibited the proliferation of stromal cells in vivo. Interestingly, in contrast to Tam, both Ral and Fin inhibited the proliferation of epithelial cells.