A Geographic Information System Supporting Ocean Institute Research on Benthic and Demersal Species in the San Pedro Channel

This project utilizes GIS to investigate changes in benthic and demersal habitats in the San Pedro Channel, off the coast of California, over time. This project will also use a variety of ESRI products. The work was carried out for the Ocean Institute at Dana Point, which functioned as the client institution for the project. The Ocean Institute is heavily involved in the gathering of sample data for the purpose of monitoring benthic and demersal species that are native to the San Pedro Channel, for the State of California. Using this system will enable the Institute to use its sample data to detect changes in the populations of various species due to the effects of ocean temperature change, and to determine the extent of correlation between the two phenomena. This GIS enables the client to produce maps that depict the location of the sample points of their surveys, and simple statistical charts that measure the level of correlation between the changes in frequency of species occurrence and changes in the ocean temperature. These maps and charts can be output in either paper or digital format and be updated in near real-time from the client’s server, and are designed to be understood by an audience comprised of students from elementary school through high school. This functionality supports the client’s stewardship of the Dana Point Marine Wildlife Sanctuary, as well as its stated objective to inspire all generations, through education, to become responsible stewards of our oceans

Copper Converter: Basic Research Testing with a Plastic Model Converter and Four Types of Refractories

In recent years there has appeared an increasing number of papers on converting operations as related to thermodynamics. This approach is a powerful, potential tool. However, the development of new ideas and changes must rely on accurate basic information

Transition State Analysis of the Reaction Catalyzed by the Phosphotriesterase from Sphingiobium sp. TCM1

Organophosphorus flame retardants are stable toxic compounds used in nearly all durable plastic products and are considered major emerging pollutants. The phosphotriesterase from Sphingobium sp. TCM1 (Sb-PTE) is one of the few enzymes known to be able to hydrolyze organophosphorus flame retardants such as triphenyl phosphate and tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate. The effectiveness of Sb-PTE for the hydrolysis of these organophosphates appears to arise from its ability to hydrolyze unactivated alkyl and phenolic esters from the central phosphorus core. How Sb-PTE is able to catalyze the hydrolysis of the unactivated substituents is not known. To interrogate the catalytic hydrolysis mechanism of Sb-PTE, the pH dependence of the reaction and the effects of changing the solvent viscosity were determined. These experiments were complemented by measurement of the primary and secondary 18-oxygen isotope effects on substrate hydrolysis and a determination of the effects of changing the pKa of the leaving group on the magnitude of the rate constants for hydrolysis. Collectively, the results indicated that a single group must be ionized for nucleophilic attack and that a separate general acid is not involved in protonation of the leaving group. The Brønsted analysis and the heavy atom kinetic isotope effects are consistent with an early associative transition state with subsequent proton transfers not being rate limiting. A novel binding mode of the substrate to the binuclear metal center and a catalytic mechanism are proposed to explain the unusual ability of Sb-PTE to hydrolyze unactivated esters from a wide range of organophosphate substrates

Imaging muscle as a potential biomarker of denervation in motor neuron disease

Objective To assess clinical, electrophysiological and whole-body muscle MRI measurements of progression in patients with motor neuron disease (MND), as tools for future clinical trials, and to probe pathophysiological mechanisms in vivo. Methods A prospective longitudinal observational clinico-electrophysiological and radiological cohort study was performed. Twenty-nine MND patients and 22 age and gender-matched healthy controls were assessed with clinical measures, electrophysiological motor unit number index (MUNIX) and T2-weighted whole-body muscle MRI, at first clinic presentation and four months later. Between-group differences and associations were assessed using age and gender-adjusted multivariable regression models. Within-subject longitudinal changes were assessed using paired t-tests. Patterns of disease spread were modelled using mixed-effects multivariable regression, assessing associations between muscle relative T2 signal and anatomical adjacency to site of clinical onset. Results MND patients had 30% higher relative T2 muscle signal than controls at baseline (all-regions mean, 95%CI 15%, 45%, p<0.001). Higher T2 signal was associated with greater overall disability (coefficient -0.009, 95%CI -0.017, -0.001, p=0.023), and with clinical weakness and lower MUNIX in multiple individual muscles. Relative T2 signal in bilateral tibialis anterior increased over four months in MND patients (right: 10.2%, 95%CI 2.0%, 18.4%, p=0.017; left: 14.1%, 95%CI 3.4%, 24.9%, p=0.013). Anatomically contiguous disease spread on MRI was not apparent in this model. Conclusions Whole-body muscle MRI offers a new approach to objective assessment of denervation over short timescales in MND, and enables investigation of patterns of disease spread in vivo. Muscles inaccessible to conventional clinical and electrophysiological assessment may be investigated using this methodology

Lymphocytes and monocytes egress peripheral blood within minutes after cessation of steady state exercise: A detailed temporal analysis of leukocyte extravasation

Acute exercise evokes an almost instantaneous lymphocytosis, followed by sustained lymphopenia that occurs within just 30–60 min after exercise cessation. The aim of this study was to characterize the immediate (order of minutes) post-exercise kinetics of lymphocyte and monocyte egress, and to determine whether this egress is associated with heart rate recovery following a single bout of steady state dynamic exercise. Eleven healthy subjects cycled for 30-min at ~70% of their estimated peak power. Blood samples were collected from an intravenous catheter before exercise, during exercise (E) at +15 and +30 min, and during passive recovery (R) at exactly +1, +2, +3, +4, +5 and +10 min after exercise cessation. Complete blood counts and flow cytometry were used to enumerate total monocytes, lymphocytes: CD3+ T-cells, CD4+ T-cells, CD8+ T-cells, NK-cells and γδ T-cells in whole blood. Both lymphocytes and monocytes displayed rapid egress kinetics, by R+3 the total numbers of all cell types examined were significantly lower than E+30. NK-cells egressed more rapidly than other lymphocyte subtypes, followed by CD8+, γδ, and then CD4+ T-cells. Further, the egress of NK-cells, CD4+, and CD8+ T-cells positively correlated with heart rate recovery after exercise cessation. In conclusion, lymphocyte and monocyte egress is rapid and occurs within minutes of exercise recovery, underscoring both the importance of collection time for post exercise blood samples, and the use of intravenous catheters to capture peak cell mobilization. The rate of egress may be dependent on how quickly hemodynamic equilibrium is restored on cessation of exercise and is, therefore, likely to be influenced by individual fitness levels

Thirty Years After Michael E. Porter: What Do We Know About Business Exit?

Although a business exit is an important corporate change initiative, the buyer’s side seems to be more appealing to management researchers than the seller’s because acquisitions imply growth, i.e., success. Yet from an optimistic viewpoint, business exit can effectively create value for the selling company. In this paper we attempt to bring the relevance of the seller’s side back into our consciousness by asking: What do we know about business exit? We start our exploration with Porter (1976), focusing on literature that investigates the antecedents of, barriers to, and outcomes of business exit. We also include studies from related fields such as finance and economics.1 Through this research we determine three clusters of findings: factors promoting business exit, exit barriers, and exit outcomes. Overall, it is the intention of this paper to highlight the importance of business exit for research and practice. Knowing what we know about business exits and their high financial value we should bear in mind that exit need not mean failure but a new beginning for a corporation

Biallelic interferon regulatory factor 8 mutation: A complex immunodeficiency syndrome with dendritic cell deficiency, monocytopenia, and immune dysregulation

Background: The homozygous K108E mutation of interferon regulatory factor 8 (IRF8) is reported to cause dendritic cell (DC) and monocyte deficiency. However, more widespread immune dysfunction is predicted from the multiple roles ascribed to IRF8 in immune cell development and function. Objective: We sought to describe the effect on hematopoiesis and immunity of the compound heterozygous R83C/R291Q mutation of IRF8, which is present in a patient with recurrent viral infection, granuloproliferation, and intracerebral calcification. Methods: Variant IRF8 alleles were identified by means of exome sequencing, and their function was tested by using reporter assays. The cellular phenotype was studied in detail by using flow cytometry, functional immunologic assay transcriptional profiling, and antigen receptor profiling. Results: Both mutations affected conserved residues, and R291Q is orthologous to R294, which is mutated in the BXH2 IRF8-deficient mouse. R83C showed reduced nuclear translocation, and neither mutant was able to regulate the Ets/IRF composite element or interferon-stimulated response element, whereas R291Q retained BATF/JUN interactions. DC deficiency and monocytopenia were observed in blood, dermis, and lung lavage fluid. Granulocytes were consistently increased, dysplastic, and hypofunctional. Natural killer cell development and maturation were arrested. TH1, TH17, and CD8+ memory T-cell differentiation was significantly reduced, and T cells did not express CXCR3. B-cell development was impaired, with fewer memory cells, reduced class-switching, and lower frequency and complexity of somatic hypermutation. Cell-specific gene expression was widely disturbed in interferon- and IRF8-regulated transcripts. Conclusions: This analysis defines the clinical features of human biallelic IRF8 deficiency, revealing a complex immunodeficiency syndrome caused by DC and monocyte deficiency combined with widespread immune dysregulation

Imaging denervation in motor neuron disease for future clinical trials: a longitudinal cohort study

A key area-of-need in motor neuron disease/amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (MND/ALS) translational research is a tool to objectively track disease progression over short timescales, to reduce duration and cost of clinical trials. Previous studies have focused on the central nervous system

Maritime Operations and Emergency Preparedness in the Arctic–Competence Standards for Search and Rescue Operations Contingencies in Polar Waters

Emergencies on large passenger ships in the remote High North may lead to a mass rescue operation with a heavy strain on the emergency preparedness systems of the Arctic countries. This study focuses on the need for competencies related to large-scale Search and Rescue operations (SAR operations) amongst the shipping companies, vessels and governments involved. A SAR operation is the activity related to finding and rescuing people in distress. Several international standards, in particular the conventions by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), provide direction for education and training of seafarers and rescue staff. This study elaborates on the operational competence requirements for key personnel involved in large scale SAR operations. Findings from real SAR incidents and exercises provide in-depth understanding on the operational challenges. The chapter gives directions for competence programs, beyond obligatory international standards, and recommendations for further research