Fatigue degradation and electric recovery in Silicon solar cells embedded in photovoltaic modules.

Cracking in Silicon solar cells is an important factor for the electrical power-loss of photovoltaic modules. Simple geometrical criteria identifying the amount of inactive cell areas depending on the position of cracks with respect to the main electric conductors have been proposed in the literature to predict worst case scenarios. Here we present an experimental study based on the electroluminescence (EL) technique showing that crack propagation in monocrystalline Silicon cells embedded in photovoltaic (PV) modules is a much more complex phenomenon.

In the European Union, TB patients from former Soviet countries have a high risk of multidrug resistance.

Setting: Fourteen countries of the European Union (EU).

Objective: To explore determinants of resistance to isoniazid and rifampicin (multidrug-resistant tuberculosis [MDR-TB]) among tuberculosis (TB) patients in the EU.

Design: Pooled TB case notification data for 2003 from the-Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) and Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Slovenia, Sweden and the UK were investigated using bivariate and multivariable analysis.

European survey of BCG vaccination policies and surveillance in children, 2005.

In 2005, all 25 EU countries, as well as Andorra, Bulgaria, Norway, Romania and Switzerland, participated in a survey on BCG vaccination in children. BCG was recommended nationally for children under 12 months in 12 countries, in older children in five countries and in children at risk (from origin, contact or travel) in 10 countries. Seven countries did not use BCG systematically.

Tuberculosis outcome monitoring--is it time to update European recommendations?

We discuss tuberculosis treatment outcome monitoring and the adherence of countries in the WHO European Region to modifications introduced in 2001 to enhance inter-country comparability. Outcomes for definite pulmonary tuberculosis cases were compared for cases reported in 2001 and 2000. Reporting was considered complete if 98% or more of cases originally notified had outcome reported.