A “RULE MAKING” CLASS: THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION’S EXPANSIVE PER SE BAN ON NONCOMPETE CLAUSES: AUTHORITY, ENFORCEABILITY, AND THE NEED FOR CONGRESSIONAL ACTION

A non-compete clause is “an agreement or contract not to interfere or compete with a former employer (as by working with a competitor).” The Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) has proposed a per se ban on non-compete provisions in employment contracts. This would arguably be the FTC’s second substantive rule under the FTC Act. This substantive rule making departs from the traditional common law style rule-making process in which the courts create antitrust jurisprudence standards. In this way, the FTC has challenged the practice by exploring a new avenue of power under Section 5 of the FTC Act

An Assessment of the Feasibility of Environmental Exposure Data for Syndromic Surveillance

INTRODUCTION: Syndromic surveillance is a method of rapid disease detection based on categories of syndromes, or signs, experienced before the full onset of disease. It is increasingly being used by government agencies and health departments to identify disease outbreaks in a timely manner. Environmental exposures are known to induce respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms, tend to have a seasonality component, and adversely affect the health of millions of people. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we assess the availability of environmental exposure data for air pollution (PM2.5, ozone, and NO2), pollen, and water contaminant exposure for use in a syndromic surveillance project. We also evaluate: 1) the general proximity of HMO populations to monitors, and 2) distribution of SES characteristics of the area populations with respect to monitor locations. METHODS: We collected exposure data, patient population data, and Census tract SES data for two metropolitan areas where Kaiser Permanente (KP) provides medical services: Atlanta, Georgia and the northern Virginia, District of Columbia (DC), and Baltimore area. Exposure data for air pollution and pollen were collected for 2013-2014. Straight-line distance from a monitor to the nearest KP clinic, and from each Census tract centroid, to the nearest air pollution or pollen monitor was computed using the Euclidean distance formula. RESULTS: Air pollution is routinely monitored by a Federal mandate, is universally available, and easily obtained. Pollen data is collected by private entities, which in some cases hinders access. Water quality data is generally publically available, but it is collected at the source and not easily traceable to water delivery endpoints. In both Atlanta and DC, Maryland, and Virginia most of the clinics (78% and 94%, respectively) are located within 10 miles of an air pollution monitor; approximately 83% and 94% of the KP populations were located within 10 miles of an air pollution monitor. SES populations differ substantially by race, age, income, and education with respect to the nearest monitor. However, the median and interquartile range of various air pollutants does not differ much across the monitors – indicating that, on average, there is little SES gradient in type of level of air pollution exposure. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, this study adds knowledge regarding future considerations about the coverage of environmental monitors and to what extent exposure measure estimates can be assigned to certain populations located near monitors

Comparison of Extraintestinal Pathogenic Escherichia coli Strains from Human and Avian Sources Reveals a Mixed Subset Representing Potential Zoonotic Pathogens

Since extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) strains from human and avian hosts encounter similar challenges in establishing infection in extraintestinal locations, they may share similar contents of virulence genes and capacities to cause disease. In the present study, 1,074 ExPEC isolates were classified by phylogenetic group and possession of 67 other traits, including virulence-associated genes and plasmid replicon types. These ExPEC isolates included 452 avian pathogenic E. coli strains from avian colibacillosis, 91 neonatal meningitis E. coli (NMEC) strains causing human neonatal meningitis, and 531 uropathogenic E. coli strains from human urinary tract infections. Cluster analysis of the data revealed that most members of each subpathotype represent a genetically distinct group and have distinguishing characteristics. However, a genotyping cluster containing 108 ExPEC isolates was identified, heavily mixed with regard to subpathotype, in which there was substantial trait overlap. Many of the isolates within this cluster belonged to the O1, O2, or O18 serogroup. Also, 58% belonged to the ST95 multilocus sequence typing group, and over 90% of them were assigned to the B2 phylogenetic group typical of human ExPEC strains. This cluster contained strains with a high number of both chromosome- and plasmid-associated ExPEC genes. Further characterization of this ExPEC subset with zoonotic potential urges future studies exploring the potential for the transmission of certain ExPEC strains between humans and animals. Also, the widespread occurrence of plasmids among NMEC strains and members of the mixed cluster suggests that plasmid-mediated virulence in these pathotypes warrants further attention

Characterizing the APEC pathotype

The purpose of this study was to compare avian pathogenic (APEC) isolates to fecal isolates of apparently healthy poultry (avian fecal or AFEC) by their possession of various traits in order to ascertain whether APEC and AFEC are distinct and if the APEC strains constitute a distinct pathotype. Four hundred and fifty-one APEC and one hundred and four AFEC isolates were examined for possession of traits associated with the virulence of human extraintestinal pathogenic (ExPEC) as well as APEC. Several of the genes occurred in the majority of APEC and only infrequently in AFEC, including ,, ,, , , , and. Of these genes, several have been found on large plasmids in APEC. Other genes occurred in significantly more APEC than AFEC but did not occur in the majority of APEC. Isolates were also evaluated by serogroup, lactose utilization, and hemolytic reaction. Twenty-nine and a half percent of the APEC and forty-two and three tenths percent of the AFEC were not serogrouped because they were not typeable with standard antisera, typed to multiple serogroups, were rough, autoagglutinated, or were not done. Around 65% of the typeable APEC (205 isolates) and AFEC (41 isolates) were classified into shared serogroups, and about a third of both fell into APEC- (113 isolates) or AFEC- (19 isolates) unique serogroups. Most were able to use lactose. No isolate was hemolytic. Overall, the majority of the APEC isolates surveyed shared a common set of putative virulence genes, many of which have been localized to an APEC plasmid known as pTJ100. This common set of genes may prove useful in defining an APEC pathotype

Autonomous Planetary Rover Final Project Report

This report documents the 2022-2023 Autonomous Planetary Rover Team’s work. The main focus and goal of our team was to improve the locomotion of the rover through mechanical improvements to the suspension and steering systems. The final expectation for the rover given by our sponsor, Dr. Kevin Nickels, was for the rover to complete an obstacle course where it drives over obstacles the height of the radius of its wheel, traverses uneven terrain, and completes turns with a 12-inch turn radius. The main inspirations for our design of the suspension and steering systems come from previous planetary rovers that have completed missions on Mars and the Moon, specifically Curiosity and Sojourner. We have done substantial research on the mechanics of the rocker-bogie suspension system and have chosen this as our method of robust suspension. We also researched different methods of steering and settled on an independent steering system. In terms of primary subsystems, we have focused on suspension and steering, though we will also discuss design choices related to the chassis material and electronic components. This project has been evolving and changing for multiple iterations—four previous teams have worked on the rover, each team focusing on different aspects of improvement. Our team is focusing on improving the mechanical aspects of the rover while making use of previous teams’ additions to the project, but will not focus on any systems related to the autonomous navigation of the rover. This year, the design problem was to mechanically improve the rover so that it was capable of going around and over obstacles in a simple obstacle course. Requirements of the design also included the Rover’s ability to carry a 100-pound load (to simulate experimental equipment) and to traverse over obstacles as tall as 5.1 inches (the radius of the wheels). These design requirements fed into project-specific requirements from our sponsor, which included having a rocker-bogie suspension system and independent steering. Another requirement was the capability of the rover to pass through a standard door frame in Trinity University’s CSI Building. These requirements reflect constraints of real planetary rover design, and will force us to consider environmental factors on the design. In this document, we will discuss all conducted tests and to what extent these tests showed that our prototype fulfilled each requirement. Though individual design components of the rover proved to be successful, the overall prototype was unable to complete the required obstacle course due to issues with stability. The clearance, dimensions, and obstacle construction requirements were successful based on testing, and are important for the next steps of the rover. Some tests showed partial achievement of requirements, which demonstrate that the rover has been improved this year and is on the right track. The team concludes that the suspension system design is a partial success, as similar to the steering system design, because it functioned as expected though not integrated perfectly. The rover was able to be controlled by a joystick, and was capable of making wide turns - showing success for the desired independent steering design. The rover’s ability to overcome obstacles was also deemed a partial success, as though it could statically handle being on top of an obstacle without tipping excessively, it was difficult for it to dynamically climb the obstacle. The team believes that each subsystem of the rover prototype shows promise, and look forward to seeing future iterations

Mutational and transcriptional analyses of an avian pathogenic Escherichia coli ColV plasmid

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Previously we described a 184-kb ColV plasmid, pAPEC-O2-ColV, that contributed to the ability of an <it>E. coli </it>to kill avian embryos, grow in human urine, and colonize the murine kidney. Here, the roles of several genes encoded by this plasmid in virulence were assessed using mutational and transcriptional analyses.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Genes chosen for deletion were <it>iss</it>, <it>tsh</it>, <it>iutA</it>, <it>iroN</it>, <it>sitA</it>, and <it>cvaB</it>. In addition, a 35-kb region of the plasmid, containing <it>iss</it>, <it>tsh</it>, and the ColV and <it>iro </it>operons, along with a 15-kb region containing both the aerobactin and <it>sit </it>operons, were deleted. Mutants were compared to the wild-type (APEC O2) for lethality to chick embryos and growth in human urine. Expression of the targeted genes was also assessed under these same conditions using RT-PCR</p> <p>Results</p> <p>No significant differences between the mutants and the wild-type in these phenotypic traits were detected. However, genes encoding known or predicted iron transport systems were up-regulated during growth in human urine, as compared to growth in LB broth, while <it>iss</it>, <it>hlyF</it>, and <it>iroN </it>were strongly up-regulated in chick embryos.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>While no difference was observed between the mutant strains and their wild-type parent in the phenotypic traits assayed, we reasoned that some compensatory virulence mechanism, insensitivity of the virulence assays, or other factor could have obscured changes in the virulence of the mutants. Indeed we found several of these genes to be up-regulated in human urine and/or in the chick embryo, suggesting that certain genes linked to ColV plasmids are involved in the establishment of avian extraintestinal infection.</p

Zeeman relaxation of cold iron and nickel in collisions with ³He

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Physics, 2008.This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.Includes bibliographical references (p. 143-148).This thesis describes a measurement of the ratio of elastic to Zeeman-projection changing collision cross sections ([gamma]) in the Fe-3He and Ni-3He systems. This ratio is a probe of the anisotropy of the interaction between the colliding species. Theory and experiment confirm that Zeeman-projection collisions are suppressed in transition metals due to the presence of a spherically symmetric, full 4s shell, making them good candidates for loading a magnetic trap with the buffer gas cooling method. Nickel and iron atoms are introduced via laser ablation into an experimental cell containing a background 3He buffer gas. Elastic collisions with the buffer gas thermalize the atoms to less than 1K. The highest energy mJ = J Zeeman state decays via diffusion through the buffer gas and collisional Zeeman relaxation. Therefore the mJ = J lifetime depends on the buffer gas density of the cell. By measuring the mJ = J lifetime as a function of buffer gas density we determine [gamma]. We find [gamma] for Ni [3F4, mJ = 4] is between 2 x 103 and 1:1 x 104 at 0.75 K in a 0.8 T magnetic field. Zeeman relaxation in Fe [5D4, mJ = 4] occurs on time scales too rapid for us to measure accurately, and we are only able to set an upper bound of [gamma] < 3 x 103. The nickel result confirms that Zeeman relaxation is highly suppressed in submerged shell transition metal atoms.by Cort Nolan Johnson.Ph.D

Reproductive biology of female blue swimmer crabs in the temperate estuaries of south-eastern Australia

The blue swimmer crab (BSC, Portunus armatus) is an economically and culturally important species distributed throughout the coastal waters of the Indo-Pacific region. Reproduction of BSC is poorly understood in south-eastern Australia, a region that is experiencing substantial tropicalisation from global warming. We examined gonadal development, egg-mass relationships, and the influence of temperature on gonadal development and egg production within five different estuaries spanning ∼2.5° of latitude. A negative correlation between the gonadosomatic index (GSI, an index of gonadal development and reproductive investment) and hepatosomatic index (HSI, an index of energy storage) was observed in only the final stages of ovarian development. The weight of the egg mass increased logarithmically with body mass, accounting for up to 55% of total body mass, which was significantly larger than observed in other studies. Thermal performance curves showed a peak in individual reproductive output at a mean monthly temperature of ∼24°C, at which the individual egg mass weight reached a maximum and the HSI reached a minimum. Environmentally driven variation in BSC reproduction has implications for population productivity and inter-annual variation in recruitment

Associations Between Multidrug Resistance, Plasmid Content, and Virulence Potential Among Extraintestinal Pathogenic and Commensal Escherichia coli from Humans and Poultry

The emergence of plasmid-mediated multidrug resistance (MDR) among enteric bacteria presents a serious challenge to the treatment of bacterial infections in humans and animals. Recent studies suggest that avianEscherichia coli commonly possess the ability to resist multiple antimicrobial agents, and might serve as reservoirs of MDR for human extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) and commensal E. coli populations. We determined antimicrobial susceptibility profiles for 2202 human and avian E. coli isolates, then sought for associations among resistance profile, plasmid content, virulence factor profile, and phylogenetic group. Avian-source isolates harbored greater proportions of MDR than their human counterparts, and avian ExPEC had higher proportions of MDR than did avian commensal E. coli. MDR was significantly associated with possession of the IncA/C, IncP1-α, IncF, and IncI1 plasmid types. Overall, inferred virulence potential did not correlate with drug susceptibility phenotype. However, certain virulence genes were positively associated with MDR, including ireA,ibeA, fyuA, cvaC, iss, iutA, iha, and afa. According to the total dataset, isolates segregated significantly according to host species and clinical status, thus suggesting that avian and human ExPEC and commensal E. coli represent four distinct populations with limited overlap. These findings suggest that in extraintestinal E. coli, MDR is most commonly associated with plasmids, and that these plasmids are frequently found among avian-source E. coli from poultry production systems