Status of ERDA-DOD applications plans

A demonstration program is reported that defines solar terrestrial photovoltaic systems as power sources for DOD applications by developing requirements and implementation plans for each demonstration project. Evaluation criteria emphasize military market potential and military advantages

The Effect of Vitamin C on HeLa Cell Proliferation

In this study, we investigated the impact of vitamin C on cervical cancer cells at varying concentrations. After adding vitamin C reagent to plated HeLa cells, we performed cytotoxicity assays to measure cell viability. We hypothesized that higher concentrations of vitamin C would lead to lower cell viability, as vitamin C is predicted to cause cell death in cancer cells. Our results indicated that higher concentrations of vitamin C do not necessarily correlate with lower cell viability of cervical cancer cells

Dysregulation of Arginase Isoenzymes in FL-HCC: Investigating the Impact of Nonspecific Arginase-Isoform Antibodies on the Market

In this project, we investigated the expression of the isoenzymes Arginase 1 (ARG1) and Arginase 2 (ARG2) in fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma (FL-HCC) tissue samples. Previous proteomics data had predicted ARG2 to be up-regulated in FL-HCC without clear indication of dysregulation in ARG1. We utilized western blot analysis to determine protein expression by comparing five FL-HCC patient samples to three normal liver tissue samples. During the analysis, we discovered the non-specificity of several commercially bought ARG2 antibodies. This led to the design and execution of various experiments aimed at troubleshooting and identifying a commercially available ARG2 antibody that is specific for the ARG2 isotype. Once the ARG2 isotype-specific antibody was identified, it was used for western blot analysis. Our data concluded that ARG2 expression is up-regulated in FL-HCC. In addition, our data shows that ARG1 expression is sample-specific, pointing to possible stage-specific dysregulation of ARG1 in FL-HCC tumor samples. Overall, our project demonstrates the importance of verifying isoform-specific antibodies while determining the expression of Arginase isoforms in tissue samples. Our findings have important implications for FL-HCC research, as they suggest that targeting ARG2 may be a promising therapeutic strategy. Additionally, our study highlights the need for careful validation of isoform-specific antibodies in cancer research, which can improve the accuracy and reliability of experimental results

Quantum Theory and Time Asymmetry

The relation between quantum measurement and thermodynamically irreversible processes is investigated. The reduction of the state vector is fundamentally asymmetric in time and shows an observer-relatedness which may explain the double interpretation of the state vector as a representation of physical states as well as of information about them. The concept of relevance being used in all statistical theories of irreversible thermodynamics is shown to be based on the same observer-relatedness. Quantum theories of irreversible processes implicitly use an objectivized process of state vector reduction. The conditions for the reduction are discussed, and I speculate that the final (subjective) observer system might even be carried by a spacetime point.Comment: Latex version of a paper published in 1979 (with minor revisions), 18 page

SYMBIOSIS: Development, Implementation, and Assessment of a Model Curriculum across Biology and Mathematics at the Introductory Level

“It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power.”Alan Cohen (Used by permission. All rights reserved. For more information on Alan Cohen's books and programs, see (www.alancohen.com.

Earthquake Occurrence in Geometrical Complex Systems

Earthquake Occurrence in Geometrical Complex System

Kentucky UST Field Manual

This study was undertaken to address the removal and closure of defective petroleum underground storage tanks in Kentucky. Goals for the study included: To address standards for levels of contamination requiring corrective action consistent with accepted scientific and technical principles. To recommend a matrix or scoring system to be used for (a) ranking sites as to actual or potential harm to human health and the environment caused by release of petroleum from a petroleum storage tank, and (2) establishing standards and procedures for corrective action that shall adequately protect human health and the environment. To address all compounds individually and collectively known as petroleum. To produce a report that shall be scientifically defensible

A boron-coated CCD camera for direct detection of Ultracold Neutrons (UCN)

A new boron-coated CCD camera is described for direct detection of ultracold neutrons (UCN) through the capture reactions $^{10}$B (n,$\alpha$0$\gamma$)$^7$Li (6%) and $^{10}$B(n,$\alpha$1$\gamma$)$^7$Li (94%). The experiments, which extend earlier works using a boron-coated ZnS:Ag scintillator, are based on direct detections of the neutron-capture byproducts in silicon. The high position resolution, energy resolution and particle ID performance of a scientific CCD allows for observation and identification of all the byproducts $\alpha$, $^7$Li and $\gamma$ (electron recoils). A signal-to-noise improvement on the order of 10$^4$ over the indirect method has been achieved. Sub-pixel position resolution of a few microns is demonstrated. The technology can also be used to build UCN detectors with an area on the order of 1 m$^2$. The combination of micrometer scale spatial resolution, few electrons ionization thresholds and large area paves the way to new research avenues including quantum physics of UCN and high-resolution neutron imaging and spectroscopy.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figure

Genome sequencing as a first-line genetic test in familial dilated cardiomyopathy

Purpose: We evaluated genome sequencing (GS) as an alternative to multigene panel sequencing (PS) for genetic testing in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Methods: Forty-two patients with familial DCM underwent PS and GS, and detection rates of rare single-nucleotide variants and small insertions/deletions in panel genes were compared. Loss-of-function variants in 406 cardiac-enriched genes were evaluated, and an assessment of structural variation was performed. Results: GS provided broader and more uniform coverage than PS, with high concordance for rare variant detection in panel genes. GS identified all PS-identified pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants as well as two additional likely pathogenic variants: one was missed by PS due to low coverage, the other was a known disease-causing variant in a gene not included on the panel. No loss-of-function variants in the extended gene set met clinical criteria for pathogenicity. One BAG3 structural variant was classified as pathogenic. Conclusion: Our data support the use of GS for genetic testing in DCM, with high variant detection accuracy and a capacity to identify structural variants. GS provides an opportunity to go beyond suites of established disease genes, but the incremental yield of clinically actionable variants is limited by a paucity of genetic and functional evidence for DCM association