Search

The PV sector is one of the fastest growing industries globally, between 2010 and 2019 global solar installations grew from around 16 gigawatts to over 105 gigawatts in 2019. This significan rise in photovoltaics has been in large part due to a substantial decrease in the price of PV cells and modules. At the beginning of the decade the average Multi Crystalline Silicon module cost roughly 2USD per watt, now (early 2020)the average Multi-Si costs around 0.2USD per watt. This expansion of the PV sector has coincided with a geographical shift in manufacturing capacities. Currently East and Central Asia produce over 80% of the global supply. In order to remain competitive and recapture a larger market share of PV manufacturing, European PV companies will need innovate along the PV supply/value chain. SUPER PV project is targeting competitiveness of European produced PV systems integrating 26 partners from all over the Europe delivering innovations from research centers to manufacturing lines. Expected cost reduction will be realized through targeted technological and business innovations which will significantly improve the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) of European systems. A year and a half into the project these price reductions and innovations have begun to take shape. This poster will outline the status of this ground-breaking project.

Background Perioperative hypothermia has been reported to increase the occurrence of cardiovascular complications. By increasing the activity of sympathetic nervous system, perioperative hypothermia also has the potential to increase cardiac injury and dysfunction associated with subarachnoid hemorrhage. Methods The Intraoperative Hypothermia for Aneurysm Surgery Trial randomized patients undergoing cerebral aneurysm surgery to intraoperative hypothermia (n = 499, 33.3 degrees +/- 0.8 degrees C) or normothermia (n = 501, 36.7 degrees +/- 0.5 degrees C). Cardiovascular events (hypotension, arrhythmias, vasopressor use, myocardial infarction, and others) were prospectively followed until 3-month follow-up and were compared in hypothermic and normothermic patients. A subset of 62 patients (hypothermia, n = 33; normothermia, n = 29) also had preoperative and postoperative (within 24 h) measurement of cardiac troponin-I and echocardiography to explore the association between perioperative hypothermia and subarachnoid hemorrhage-associated myocardial injury and left ventricular function. Results There was no difference between hypothermic and normothermic patients in the occurrence of any single cardiovascular event or in composite cardiovascular events. There was no difference in mortality (6%) between groups, and there was only a single primary cardiovascular death (normothermia). There was no difference between hypothermic and normothermic patients in postoperative versus preoperative left ventricular regional wall motion or ejection fraction. Compared with preoperative values, hypothermic patients had no postoperative increase in cardiac troponin-I (median change 0.00 microg/l), whereas normothermic patients had a small postoperative increase (median change + 0.01 microg/l, P = 0.038). Conclusion In patients undergoing cerebral aneurysm surgery, perioperative hypothermia was not associated with an increased occurrence of cardiovascular events.

Background Although hypothermia and barbiturates improve neurologic outcomes in animal temporary focal ischemia models, the clinical efficacy of these interventions during temporary occlusion of the cerebral vasculature during intracranial aneurysm surgery (temporary clipping) is not established. Methods A post hoc analysis of patients from the Intraoperative Hypothermia for Aneurysm Surgery Trial who underwent temporary clipping was performed. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression methods were used to test for associations between hypothermia, supplemental protective drug, and short- (24-h) and long-term (3-month) neurologic outcomes. An odds ratio more than 1 denotes better outcome. Results Patients undergoing temporary clipping (n = 441) were assigned to intraoperative hypothermia (33.3 degrees +/- 0.8 degrees C, n = 208) or normothermia (36.7 degrees +/- 0.5 degrees C, n = 233), with 178 patients also receiving supplemental protective drug (thiopental or etomidate) during temporary clipping. Three months after surgery, 278 patients (63%) had good outcome (Glasgow Outcome Score = 1). Neither hypothermia (P = 0.847; odds ratio = 1.043, 95% CI = 0.678-1.606) nor supplemental protective drug (P = 0.835; odds ratio = 1.048, 95% CI = 0.674-1.631) were associated with 3-month Glasgow Outcome Score. The effect of supplemental protective drug did not significantly vary with temperature. The effects of hypothermia and protective drug did not significantly vary with temporary clip duration. Similar findings were made for 24-h neurologic status and 3-month Neuropsychological Composite Score. Conclusion In the Intraoperative Hypothermia for Aneurysm Surgery Trial, neither systemic hypothermia nor supplemental protective drug affected short- or long-term neurologic outcomes of patients undergoing temporary clipping.

The purpose of this study was to assess whether adrenolutin, the inert product of the highly reactive molecules aminochromes, is increased in severe chronic heart failure and whether it is associated with a poor prognosis.Experimental evidence suggests that oxidative products of catecholamines, aminochromes, are more cardiotoxic than unoxidized catecholamines and may be increased in heart failure.Adrenolutin was measured at baseline and at 1 and 3 months in 263 patients with chronic New York Heart Association class III or IV heart failure and a left ventricular ejection fraction of 22% +/- 7%. Adrenolutin levels were compared with normal levels, and their relation to prognosis was evaluated.Baseline adrenolutin was increased (55 +/- 90 pg/mL vs 8.4 +/- 9.1 pg/mL for control, P.02) and remained increased at 1 month (49 +/- 65 pg/mL). During a mean follow-up of 309 +/- 148 days (22-609 days), 57 patients died. Baseline adrenolutin levels correlated with mortality rates by univariate and multivariate analyses (relative risk 1.06, 95% CI 1.01-1.10 for each 17.9-pg/mL rise, P =.032). Left ventricular ejection fraction (P =.013) and New York Heart Association class (P =.009) were the only other variables associated with survival. Age, sex, plasma creatinine, plasma N-terminal atrial natriuretic peptide, and plasma norepinephrine levels were not retained in our model. Adrenolutin levels 1 month after random assignment were not significantly correlated with total mortality rate (P =.061) but were correlated with mortality rate from low output (relative risk 1.14, 95% CI 1.06-1.22, P =.002).Plasma adrenolutin is increased in patients with heart failure and correlates with a poor prognosis independent of other important predictors of survival. This finding has potentially important pathophysiologic, prognostic, and therapeutic implications.

The collection of dried blood spots (DBS) on filter paper provides a powerful approach for the development of large-scale, population-based screening programs. DBS methods are particularly valuable in developing countries and isolated rural regions where resources are limited. Large numbers of field specimens can be economically collected and shipped to centralized reference laboratories for genetic and (or) serological analysis. Alternatively, the dried blood can be stored and used as an archival resource to rapidly establish the frequency and distribution of newly recognized mutations, confirm patient identity or track the origins and emergence of newly identified pathogens. In this report, we describe how PCR-based technologies are beginning to interface with international screening programmes for the diagnosis and genetic characterization of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). In particular, we review recent progress using DBS specimens to resolve the HIV-1 infection status of neonates, monitor the genetic evolution of HIV-1 during early infancy and establish a sentinel surveillance system for the systematic monitoring of HIV-1 genetic variation in Asia.

Many HIV-infected children have neurological involvement. We present our observations in 49 cases, 58% of which had some form of clinical neurological impairment. Most of the patients affected (71%) presented with progressive encephalopathy, characterized by developmental delay with loss of acquisitions and cognitive decline, an impaired growth curve, microcephaly and corticospinal dysfunction. CT-scan imaging shows cerebral atrophy in all cases and basal ganglia calcifications in 29%. Non-specific abnormalities are found on the EEG in two-thirds of cases and in the CSF in slightly less than half the cases. Pathological studies sometime revealed HIV encephalitis or lateral corticospinal tracts degeneration. Neurological impairment secondary to vascular events, neoplasms or opportunistic infections were rare, especially when compared with the adult HIV population.

OBJECTIVE: We examined the incidence of perioperative fever and its relationship to outcome among patients enrolled in the Intraoperative Hypothermia for Aneurysm Surgery Trial. METHODS: One thousand patients with initial World Federation of Neurological Surgeons grades of I to III undergoing clipping of intracranial aneurysms after subarachnoid hemorrhage were randomized to intraoperative normothermia (36 degrees C-37 degrees C) or hypothermia (32.5 degrees C-33.5 degrees C). Fever (> or =38.5 degrees C) and other complications (including infections) occurring between admission and discharge (or death) were recorded. Functional and neuropsychologic outcomes were assessed 3 months postoperatively. The primary outcome variable for the trial was dichotomized Glasgow Outcome Scale (good outcome versus all others). RESULTS: Fever was reported in 41% of patients. In 97% of these, fever occurred in the postoperative period. The median time from surgery to first fever was 3 days. All measures of outcome were worse in patients who developed fever, even in those without infections or who were World Federation of Neurological Surgeons grade I. Logistic regression analyses were performed to adjust for differences in preoperative factors (e.g., age, Fisher grade, initial neurological status). This demonstrated that fever continued to be significantly associated with most outcome measures, even when infection was added to the model. An alternative stepwise model selection process including all fever-related measures from the preoperative and intraoperative period (e.g., hydrocephalus, duration of surgery, intraoperative blood loss) resulted in the loss of significance for dichotomized Glasgow Outcome Scale, but significant associations between fever and several other outcome measures remained. After adding postoperative delayed ischemic neurological deficits to the model, only worsened National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score, Barthel Activities of Daily Living index, and discharge destination (home versus other) remained independently associated with fever. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that fever is associated with worsened outcome in surgical subarachnoid hemorrhage patients, although, because the association between fever and the primary outcome measure for the trial is dependent on the covariates used in the analysis (particularly operative events and delayed ischemic neurological deficits), we cannot rule out the possibility that fever is a marker for other events. Only a formal trial of fever treatment or prevention can address this issue.

The severe form of leukocyte adhesion deficiency type I (LAD-I) usually leads to death early in life. Allogeneic haematopoietic transplantation is the only cure. Unrelated transplantation has been reported only once. We describe three children with LAD-I transplanted with T cell non-depleted bone marrow from unrelated HLA-matched donors. All patients engrafted, one of them at second transplant. One patient developed grade I and one grade II acute GVHD. Two patients are alive, one of them with a decrease in CD11/CD18 expression. Early referral for HLA-matched unrelated BMT is a reasonable option for patients with LAD-I lacking an HLA-matched related donor.

Sexual behavior and pregnancy outcome data for 392 HIV-infected women were analyzed. During the 6 months before study entry, 71.2% (279 of 392 women) were sexually active. In multivariate regression, women with baseline CD4+or = 200/microl were more likely than women with CD4+200/microl to be sexually active (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 1.75; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06-2.88; p = .03). Consistent condom use was reported with 58.4% (149 of 255) of steady male partners and 65.7% (23 of 35) of casual partners. Overall, 90.3% of 279 sexually active women were using contraception. Among women aged between 15 and 44 years (n = 320), the incidence of pregnancy in the year before HIV diagnosis was 27.5 per 100 person-years (PY) (95% CI, 22.1-33.9) compared with 8.3/100 PY (95% CI, 6.8-10.2) in the time since HIV diagnosis (p.001). The incidence of therapeutic termination of pregnancies conceived in the 20 weeks before HIV diagnosis (10.6/100 PY) was more than triple that after diagnosis (3.1/100 PY; p = .001). After publication of results of zidovudine prophylaxis of mother-to-child transmission, pregnancy rates did not increase, but the incidence of therapeutic abortion dropped from 4.3/100 PY to 1.4/100 PY (p = .009). Knowledge of sexual behavior, including pregnancy frequency and outcome, can assist in tailoring counseling for HIV-infected women concerning sexual and reproductive health.

PCR assays for detection of herpes simplex virus DNA sequences in clinical specimens are more sensitive than cell culture.A non-isotopic PCR assay (glycoprotein B HSV-2 assay, Roche Molecular Systems) for detection of HSV-2 DNA sequences was evaluated on 234 clinical specimens.A total of 125 patients (73 women, 40 men, 12 unknown) provided 162 samples contained in viral transport medium. Samples were first inoculated in cell culture, centrifuged at 12,000 x g, lyzed and kept frozen. A total of 77 women provided 42 cervicovaginal lavages and 30 vaginal tampons that were lyzed, tested with two isotopic HSV-2 PCR assays and kept frozen. All these samples were subsequently thawed and amplified with the glycoprotein B HSV-2 assay using generic primers for HSV glycoprotein B gene. Amplicons were captured on microplates with a HSV-2-specific probe and were detected with avidin-peroxidase and substrate.Of the 162 samples submitted to viral culture, HSV-2 was isolated from 73 while 89 did not contain HSV-2. All the 73 specimens with culture-proven HSV-2 infections tested positive with glycoprotein B HSV-2 assay (sensitivity of 100%). Herpesviruses other than HSV-2 were isolated from 34 samples that were negative with glycoprotein B HSV-2 assay. Two culture-negative samples tested positive in the glycoprotein B HSV-2 assay (specificity of 98.7%). The latter samples could not be retested in confirmatory isotopic HSV-2 PCR tests. HSV-2 DNA sequences could also be detected directly in cervical lavages or vaginal tampons from 13 women with the glycoprotein B HSV-2 assay.Detection and typing of HSV-2 in clinical samples, including those collected in viral transport medium, can be accomplished with PCR assays using the AMPLICOR format.

The aim of the study was to compare the accuracy of self-administered vaginal tampon (VT) specimens for the detection of human papillomaviruses (HPVs) with that of cervicovaginal lavage specimens (CVL). Two hundred seventy-four paired VT and CVL specimens were collected prospectively from women at risk of sexually transmitted diseases. Specimens were treated and amplified with the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Each woman served as her own control. One hundred and forty-four of 272 (52.9%) CVLs and 159 of 271 (58.7%) VTs contained HPV DNA sequences (correlation of 88%). The sensitivity and specificity of vaginal tampons reached 93.9% (138/147) and 80.5% (99/123), respectively. HPV typing results were concordant for 99 negative paired samples and 114 paired samples positive for the same type(s) (correlation of 78.9%). It is concluded that these sampling methods collect cells from different areas of the genital epithelium, highlighting the importance of further assessment of the comparative predictive value of HPV detection in each sample.

To define the burden of illness and the demographic characteristics of perinatally HIV exposed children in Canada.Two national surveys of children born to HIV-infected mothers were conducted. The first survey captured information on all known cases up to March 1991, and the second, additional cases between April 1991 and May 1992.220 children born to 204 HIV-infected mothers were identified. Quebec cases increased by 20% compared with 33% in Ontario (p.003) and 50% in the rest of the country (p.001). Quebec has a higher proportion of black mothers than the rest of Canada (p.001). Sexual contact continues to be the major risk factor for maternal HIV infection.This survey confirms a substantial case load and provides an initial demographic profile of diagnosed HIV exposed infants in Canada.

We have used the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect HIV proviral sequences in minute amounts of peripheral blood collected onto newborn screening blotters. Forty-three newborns, infants, and children of HIV-infected mothers were serially studied: dried blood spot (DBS) specimens were processed for PCR; serum was assayed for HIV antibodies, p24 antigen, and immunoglobulins; mononuclear cells were cultured and CD4 cells were quantitated by immunofluorescence. There was excellent agreement between the results of blood spot PCR, viral culture, and clinical and immunological indicators of HIV infection. Eighteen of 19 infected children tested positive by both PCR and culture, including six asymptomatic infants who were less than 10 weeks of age. As expected, p24 antigen capture assays were insensitive, detecting only 13 of the 19 infected children. One infected infant tested positive by PCR, but negative by culture and antigen. This infant was seropositive at 27 months and had pronounced hypergammaglobulinemia in association with non-specific symptoms. Twenty-four of the 43 infants were asymptomatic with normal immune profiles, declining antibody levels and no evidence of infection. These children tested repeatedly negative by PCR, culture, and p24 antigen assays. Our results indicate that DBS PCR is a sensitive, specific, and cost-effective alternative to viral culture for the early diagnosis (or exclusion) of perinatal HIV infection. DBS sampling opens the way for large-scale prospective studies to determine the exact rates of vertical HIV transmission in industrialized, as well as, nonindustrialized countries.

Chemotherapeutic agents which affect the integration, stability, or inducibility of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) provirus would have considerable value in treating acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Two nucleoside analogs of cytosine, 5-azacytidine and 5-azadeoxycytidine, which seem to have such value because of their capabilities to affect both the stability and the methylation patterns of the nucleic acids into which they are incorporated, were tested for their ability to inhibit the replication of HIV type 1 (HIV-1) in human CEM T cells in vitro. 5-Azadeoxycytidine (1 microM) completely inhibited HIV replication in CEM cells, by the criteria of reduced viral antigen expression and decreased supernatant reverse transcriptase activity, with little toxicity for the treated cells. 5-azacytidine (1 microM) also inhibited HIV replication, but less effectively. When added 2 or more h after CEM cells were infected with HIV-1, both 5-azacytosine derivatives were less effective than they were when added at the time of infection. Even 2 h of exposure to 5-azadeoxycytidine was sufficient for inhibition of HIV replication. Although long exposure to either analog at concentrations of 1 microM would result in pronounced cellular cytotoxicity, the the fact that short exposures to the same dose of drug inhibit HIV replication but are not toxic for the cells implies that cellular toxicity itself is not an important mechanism of the antiviral action of the analogs.

A wide spectrum of renal diseases ranging from glomerulopathic lesions to tumors may be associated with HIV infection. This infection may also complicate the course of dialysis and renal transplantation. We review the renal complications of HIV infection.

A 6-year-old girl had a 7-month history of headaches and painful torticollis. A CT scan of the mastoids showed extensive bone destruction of the base of the skull and C-1. Biopsies of the retropharyngeal area and of the anterior aspect of C-1 were performed: histopathologic findings were suggestive of mycotic infection and cultures were positive for Candida albicans. The child was treated successfully with amphotericin B. The immunologic evaluation demonstrated the absence o myeloperoxidase in the neutrophils.

Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) is a progressive neurologic disease associated with chronic measles infection. We have assessed renal function parameters and renal biopsy details in 14 patients with SSPE. All had normal renal function. However, 9 had microscopic hematuria. 9 patients had focal segmental mesangial proliferation and 5 had capillary wall thickening with deposits visible by light microscopy. 13 patients had glomerular C3 deposition and 4 had IgG deposits. SSPE is a disease caused by chronic viral infection, in which nephritogenic complex formation may occur.

Immunglobulins of two different sizes and classes that had antibody activity were purified from immune turtle serum. The characteristics of the IgM molecules did not deviate from those of molecules of this immunoglobulin class in other Placoderm-derived species. The low molecular weight immunoglobulin differed from mammalian IgG in that it had a sedimentation coefficient of 5.7, a shortened heavy chain with a molecular weight of 38,000, and low carbohydrate content with almost undetectable levels of hexosamine. This immunoglobulin had agglutinin activity, bound homologous and heterologous complement, and was transferred to the turtle egg. On the basis of the structural and biologic properties of this immunoglobulin, it was hypothesized that the C-terminal constant region of the heavy chains present in mammalian IgG was lacking. The implications of the molecular requirements for expression of the biologic function assigned to the Fc fragment were discussed in relation to diversification in function of immunoglobulins during evolution.

A low incidence of renal disease was noted in a retrospective analysis of pediatric patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Episodes of acute renal failure were attributable to dehydration or nephrotoxicity. One patient, however, had nephrosis with focal glomerular sclerosis. Focal sclerosis involving 10% to 20% of glomeruli was evident in autopsy tissue from three patients.

The authors investigated by immunofluorescence the thymic epithelium from AIDS patients, using several structural and functional markers of this tissue. In AIDS thymus, the epithelial reticular pattern was lost; and instead, clusters of round or spindle-shaped cells (assessed by their keratin content) were found. In addition, regions of epithelial necrosis, with loss of cell limits, were frequently observed. Thymulin content was decreased, and a partial loss of differentiation antigens of the thymic epithelium was also detected. The authors showed the presence of immunoglobulins and elements of the complement system directly bound to AIDS thymic epithelium, but not in any of the controls studied, including thymuses from patients who died after a long period of agony. These data suggest that the thymic epithelium can be included among the target tissues in AIDS, possibly by an indirect mechanism of autoimmune destruction.

A 6-month-old male infant with a severe combined immunodeficiency syndrome was hospitalized for progressive respiratory distress. Examination during hospitalization disclosed widespread pulmonary infiltrates that did not respond to intensive therapy. The patient died eight days after admission. Autopsy disclosed Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia and widespread giant cell pneumonia. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was grown from a lung specimen obtained at autopsy. Specific immunofluorescent staining of the cytoplasm of alveolar lining cells with RSV antiserum was demonstrated. The electron microscopic appearance of giant cells was compatible with RSV infection. The RSV should be added to the list of viruses causing giant cell pneumonia.

This paper describes nine patients, five girls and four boys aged 4 months to 7 years (mean 3 3/4 years), who had the clinical and laboratory features of Kawasaki disease (mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome). Eight of them had mild to moderate anterior uveitis, and one child showed choroidal, retinal and vitreous changes in one eye that caused a severe visual loss. Recognition of this disease is important, particularly since 1% to 2% of patients under 2 years of age die suddenly from coronary arteritis.

One hundred and six patients fulfilling accepted diagnostic criteria for Kawasaki disease (90 p. 100 of French-Canadian origin) were evaluated with serial electrocardiograms and echocardiograms (M mode and two-dimensional). Half of the patients (53) had cardiovascular manifestations at one time during their illness. Thirty-one had abnormal electrocardiograms: non specific ST and T wave changes inferiorly (27), prolonged QT intervals (6), first degree AV block (3). M mode echo was abnormal in 31 cases showing: slight pericardial effusion (17), flat septal movement (11), left ventricular dilatation (4), decrease of shortening fraction (2). Seven patients (6.4 p. 100) presented fusiform coronary aneurysm detected in 6 by two-dimensional echography (with angiographic confirmation) and at autopsy in another. M mode echo and electrocardiogram abnormalities were transient in the great majority of patients disappearing during an average follow-up period of 10 months. Coronary aneurysm had disappeared at the end of follow-up in two patients, regressed in three and remained identical in another. There were no relations between severity of clinical symptoms, electrocardiographic or echocardiographic (M mode) abnormalities and the development of coronary aneurysm. Serial studies with two-dimensional echo should be done in every patient with this disease for early detection and follow-up of coronary aneurysm.

We evaluated the frequency and severity of illnesses caused by various microbial pathogens in 15 children with severe combined immune deficiency disease (SCID) and 8 with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). There were 35 viral, 23 bacterial, 19 mycotic and 13 parasitic infections. Nineteen of the 23 patients died of infection; Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, giant-cell pneumonia due to paramyxoviruses and various disseminated viral infections were responsible for most deaths in both groups. The emerging role of paramyxoviruses was illustrated by the fact that they were responsible for giant-cell pneumonia in seven patients. Viral enteric infections were frequent in both groups. The variety of infectious microorganisms and the severity of resulting illnesses in the patients with AIDS were similar to those in the patients with SCID.

We prospectively studied 64 children with Kawasaki disease. The well recognized signs were seen, but we also found hyperemia of the tympanic membrane in 27%, uveitis in 17%, syndrome of inappropriate secretion of anti-diuretic hormone in 9%, hydrops of the gallbladder in 8%, pulmonary infiltrations in 5% and one death. One patient presented with acute kidney failure, another one presented with stenosis of the renal artery, and 8 presented white blood cells (WBC) in the urinary sediment. Sedimentation was accelerated and there was an important decrease in hemoglobin blood level around the 5th day of illness. The WBC count rose around the 10th day; thereafter, all these results returned to normal while platelets counts rose. Albumin blood level was low, and all the following data were higher than normal: alpha-1-globulin, alpha-2-globulin, IgA, IgM, SGOT, SGPT, bilirubin and CRP. Viral studies were performed in 37 patients; 12 showed positive results.

Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) is a degenerative disease of the central nervous system occurring in children and adolescents. The measles virus, or a virus closely associated, plays an important role in the disease. SSPE appears years after these children have had the measles but still a measles-like virus can be found in their brain and in other organs. A certain deficit, still to be defined of the cell-mediated immunity as a chronic stimulation of the antibody response against the measles virus is documented in SSPE pointing to a possible immunologic imbalance in these patients. Studying the possibility of the presence of immune complexes in SSPE, immunofluorescent studies of kidney biopsy in SSPE patients have been performed. Complement deposits in the glomerular basement membrane have been found in most patients. The possible role of immune complexes in SSPE is still to be defined.

The PV sector is one of the fastest growing industries globally, between 2010 and 2019 global solar installations grew from around 16 gigawatts to over 105 gigawatts in 2019. This significan rise in photovoltaics has been in large part due to a substantial decrease in the price of PV cells and modules. At the beginning of the decade the average Multi Crystalline Silicon module cost roughly 2USD per watt, now (early 2020)the average Multi-Si costs around 0.2USD per watt. This expansion of the PV sector has coincided with a geographical shift in manufacturing capacities. Currently East and Central Asia produce over 80% of the global supply. In order to remain competitive and recapture a larger market share of PV manufacturing, European PV companies will need innovate along the PV supply/value chain. SUPER PV project is targeting competitiveness of European produced PV systems integrating 26 partners from all over the Europe delivering innovations from research centers to manufacturing lines. Expected cost reduction will be realized through targeted technological and business innovations which will significantly improve the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) of European systems. A year and a half into the project these price reductions and innovations have begun to take shape. This poster will outline the status of this ground-breaking project.

Nuclear blebs are herniations of the nucleus that occur in diseased nuclei that cause nuclear rupture leading to cellular dysfunction. Chromatin and lamins are two of the major structural components of the nucleus that maintain its shape and function, but their relative roles in nuclear blebbing remain elusive. Lamin B is reported to be lost in blebs by qualitative data while quantitative studies reveal a spectrum of lamin B levels in nuclear blebs dependent on perturbation and cell type. Chromatin has been reported to be decreased or de-compacted in nuclear blebs, but again the data are not conclusive. To determine the composition of nuclear blebs, we compared the immunofluorescence intensity of lamin B and DNA in the main nucleus body and nuclear bleb across cell types and perturbations. Lamin B nuclear bleb levels varied drastically across MEF wild type and chromatin or lamins perturbations, HCT116 lamin B1-GFP imaging, and human disease model cells of progeria and prostate cancer. However, DNA concentration was consistently decreased to about half that of the main nucleus body across all measured conditions. Using Partial Wave Spectroscopic (PWS) microscopy to measure chromatin density in the nuclear bleb vs body we find similar results that DNA is consistently less dense in nuclear blebs. Thus, our data spanning many different cell types and perturbations supports that decreased DNA is a better marker of a nuclear bleb than lamin B levels that vary widely.