Reflective Optics CPV Panels Enabling Large Scale, Reliable Generation of Solar Energy Cost Competitive With Fossil Fuels

The objective of this 18 month subcontract was the improvement of reflective optics CPV panels to enable the large-scale, reliable production of solar electricity to meet SAI-established LCOE targets, and ultimately provide a path to solar power at parity with or better than the cost of energy generated utilizing fossil fuels. To this end, SolFocus has completed this subcontract with great success as evidenced by the end results of a CPV panel with conversion efficiencies greater than the targeted 22% and manufacturing capabilities with a run rate capacity far exceeding the milestone benchmark \u3e3MW

Intentional and non-intentional non-adherence to medication amongst breast cancer patients

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of and factors associated with non-adherence to medication amongst a sample of breast cancer patients. 131 women with stable disease were interviewed and completed standardised psychological measures. 55% of women reported non-adherence to medication frequently or occasionally, with younger women and those who disliked taking their medication being significantly less adherent (P = 0.015, P = 0.001). Women who deliberately omitted taking their tablets occasionally or frequently had significantly lower scores, indicative of a weaker influence, on 'internal' and 'powerful others' dimensions of health locus of control (P = 0.032, P = 0.009). Despite a life-threatening diagnosis, patients may not adhere to medication representing a potential missed opportunity for health gain and waste of resources. Furthermore, interpretation of clinical trial data may be misleading without adherence information. More research is needed to identify those at risk for non-adherence. If other routes of administration are available these options should be discussed with patients to maximise efficacy of therapy

Reflective Optics CPV Panels Enabling Large Scale, Reliable Generation of Solar Energy Cost Competitive with Fossil Fuels: 15 November 2007 - 30 June 2009

SolFocus developed a CPV panel with conversion efficiency >22% and manufacturing run-rate capacity far exceeding 3 MW

Quasars near the line of sight towards Q 0302-003 and the transverse proximity effect

We report the discovery of the faint (V=21.7) quasar QSO03027-0010 at z=2.808 in the vicinity of Q0302-003, one of the few quasars observed with STIS to study intergalactic HeII absorption. Together with another newly discovered QSO at z=2.29, there are now 6 QSOs known near the line of sight towards Q0302-003, of which 4 are located within the redshift region 2.76<=z<=3.28 covered by the STIS spectrum. We correlated the opacity variations in the HI and HeII Lyman forest spectra with the locations of known quasars. There is no significant proximity effect in the HI Lyman alpha forest for any of the QSOs, except for the well-known line of sight effect for Q0302-003 itself. By comparing the absorption properties in HI and HeII, we estimated the fluctuating hardness of the extragalactic UV radiation field along this line of sight. We find that close to each foreground quasar, the ionizing background is considerably harder than on average. In particular, our newly discovered QSO03027-0010 shows such a hardness increase despite being associated with an overdensity in the HI Lyman forest. We argue that the spectral hardness is a sensitive physical measure to reveal the influence of QSOs onto the UV background even over scales of several Mpc, and that it breaks the density degeneracy hampering the traditional transverse proximity effect analysis. We infer from our sample that there is no need for significantly anisotropic UV radiation from the QSOs. From the transverse proximity effect detected in the sample we obtain minimum quasar lifetimes in the range ~10-30 Myr.Comment: 15 pages, 9 figures, accepted by A&A, problems with paper size fixe

The role of cultural models in local perceptions of SFM - Differences and similarities of interest groups from three boreal regions

Differences in the way local and regional interest groups perceive Sustainable Forest Management in regions with different forest use histories were studied using Southeastern Finland, the Mauricie in Quebec and Central Labrador in Canada as examples of regions with high, medium and low importance of commercial forestry. We present a conceptual model illustrating the cyclic interaction between the forest, cultural models about forests and forest management. We hypothesized that peoples’ perceptions would be influenced by their cultural models about forests and would thus vary amongst regions with different forest use histories and among different interest groups. The weightings of the environmental, economic and social components of sustainability as well as themes important for each of the interest groups were elicited using individual listing of SFM indicators and group work aimed at developing a consensus opinion on a common indicator list. In Southeastern Finland the views of the different groups were polarized along the environmenteeconomy axis, whereas in Central Labrador all groups were environmentally oriented. The social dimension was low overall except among the Metis and the Innu in Labrador. Only environmental groups were similar in all three research regions, the largest differences between regions were found among the forestry professionals in their weightings concerning economy and nature. As the importance of commercial forestry increased, a greater importance of economic issues was expressed whereas the opposite trend was observed for issues regarding nature. Also inter-group differences grew as the importance of commercial forestry increased in the region. Forest management and forest use can be seen as factors strongly influencing peoples’ cultural models on forests

Attenuated sex steroid receptor expression in fallopian tube of women with ectopic pregnancy

CONTEXT: Sex steroid hormone receptor (SHR) dynamics are well-documented in human endometrium but have not been comprehensively studied in Fallopian tube (FT). OBJECTIVE: To compare expression patterns and hormonal regulation of SHR in FT with that described in endometrium, and determine whether SHR expression is altered in FT of women with ectopic pregnancy (EP). DESIGN: Tissue analysis and culture. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: Women undergoing surgery for benign gynaecological conditions (n=14) and EP (n=6). INTERVENTIONS: Q-RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry were used to determine SHR mRNA expression and protein localization, respectively. SHR levels were measured in tubal explant cultures stimulated with estrogen and progestogen. RESULTS: ERα and ERβ mRNAs were constitutively expressed in FT during the menstrual cycle. PR-AB and PR-B mRNAs were decreased in mid-luteal compared to follicular phase. ERα, PR-AB and PR-B mRNAs were downregulated in human FT in vitro by treatment with progestogen. ERα, ERβ1, ERβ2, PR and AR proteins localised to cell nuclei of epithelium, stroma and smooth muscle of non-pregnant FT. In FT from women with EP, PR-B mRNA was decreased when compared to mid-luteal FT, and ERα protein was not detected. CONCLUSIONS: SHR expression in FT is different from that observed in endometrium recovered at similar stages of the menstrual cycle and expression in FT from women with EP is also altered compared with normal FT. These data are an important benchmark for furthering understanding of normal human FT physiology, transcriptional changes in FT in response to progesterone, and disorders of FT function, such as EP

A broad distribution of the alternative oxidase in microsporidian parasites

Microsporidia are a group of obligate intracellular parasitic eukaryotes that were considered to be amitochondriate until the recent discovery of highly reduced mitochondrial organelles called mitosomes. Analysis of the complete genome of Encephalitozoon cuniculi revealed a highly reduced set of proteins in the organelle, mostly related to the assembly of ironsulphur clusters. Oxidative phosphorylation and the Krebs cycle proteins were absent, in keeping with the notion that the microsporidia and their mitosomes are anaerobic, as is the case for other mitosome bearing eukaryotes, such as Giardia. Here we provide evidence opening the possibility that mitosomes in a number of microsporidian lineages are not completely anaerobic. Specifically, we have identified and characterized a gene encoding the alternative oxidase (AOX), a typically mitochondrial terminal oxidase in eukaryotes, in the genomes of several distantly related microsporidian species, even though this gene is absent from the complete genome of E. cuniculi. In order to confirm that these genes encode functional proteins, AOX genes from both A. locustae and T. hominis were over-expressed in E. coli and AOX activity measured spectrophotometrically using ubiquinol-1 (UQ-1) as substrate. Both A. locustae and T. hominis AOX proteins reduced UQ-1 in a cyanide and antimycin-resistant manner that was sensitive to ascofuranone, a potent inhibitor of the trypanosomal AOX. The physiological role of AOX microsporidia may be to reoxidise reducing equivalents produced by glycolysis, in a manner comparable to that observed in trypanosome

Placental Growth Factor:A Promising Diagnostic Biomarker for Tubal Ectopic Pregnancy

CONTEXT: Tubal ectopic pregnancy is common but accurate diagnosis is difficult and costly. There is currently no serum test to differentiate tubal from intrauterine implantation and an effective biomarker of ectopic pregnancy would be a major clinical advance. OBJECTIVE: A key feature of successful intrauterine implantation is the establishment of a supportive vascular network and this has been associated with the activity of placental growth factor (PIGF). We hypothesized that the local decidual environment facilitates PIGF-dependent angiogenesis and that this pathway is not active in tubal implantation. We aimed to determine whether tubal implantation is manifest by an attenuation of the normal trophoblast PIGF-response and whether serum PIGF levels are different in ectopic compared to intrauterine pregnancy. DESIGN: Tissue and serum analysis. SETTING: A large UK teaching hospital. PATIENTS: Gestation-matched pregnant women undergoing surgical termination of pregnancy (viable intrauterine) (n=15), evacuation of uterus for embryonic missed miscarriage (non-viable intrauterine) (n=10) and surgery for tubal ectopic pregnancy (n=15). INTERVENTIONS: Trophoblast was examined by immunohistochemistry and quantitative RT-PCR, and serum was analyzed by ELISA. RESULTS: PIGF was localized to the cytotrophoblast cells. Expression of PIGF mRNA was reduced in trophoblast isolated from women with ectopic compared to intrauterine pregnancies (P<0.05). Serum PIGF was undetectable in women with tubal ectopic pregnancies and reduced, or undetectable, in miscarriage compared to viable intrauterine pregnancies (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Serum PIGF is a promising novel diagnostic biomarker for early pregnancy location and outcome, and large-scale studies are now required to determine its clinical utility

Attenuated tubal and endometrial urocortin 1 and corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor expression in ectopic pregnancy

Fallopian tube (FT) and endometrial urocortin 1 (Ucn1) and CRH-receptor (CRH-R1/CRH-R2) expression were examined using quantitative-RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry in non-pregnant and pregnant women (intrauterine, IUP; ectopic pregnancy, EP). Tubal Ucn1 mRNA expression was higher in luteal compared to follicular phase (P<0.01) and equivalent to follicular phase in FT from EP. Tubal CRH-R1/CRH-R2 mRNA was lower in luteal phase (P<0.05) and in FT from EP compared to follicular phase (P<0.01). Ucn1 mRNA was lower in endometrium from EP compared to IUP (P<0.05). CRH-R1 mRNA was higher in endometrium from EP compared to viable IUP (P<0.05). No differences were observed in CRH-R2 expression. CRH-R1 protein was primarily localised to epithelium of FT and endometrium. Quantitative analysis of tubal CRH-R1 protein expression reflected that seen at the mRNA level but endometrial expression was equivocal. The demonstration of attenuated tubal/endometrial Ucn1/CRH-R expression in EP further supports a role of the CRH-family in embryo implantation