Measurements of b-jet Nuclear Modification Factors in pPb and PbPb Collisions with CMS

We present measurements of the nuclear modification factors RAA and RpA(PYTHIA) of b jets in lead-lead and proton-lead collisions, respectively, using the CMS detector. Jets from b-quark fragmentations are found by exploiting the long lifetime of the b-quark through tagging methods using distributions of the secondary vertex displacement. From these, b-jet cross-sections are calculated and compared to the pp cross-section from the 2.76 TeV pp data collected in 2013 and to a PYTHIA simulation at 5.02 TeV, where these center-of-mass energies correspond to those of the PbPb and pPb data. We observe significant suppression for b jets in PbPb, and a RpA(PYTHIA) value consistent with unity for b jets in pPb. Results from both collision species show remarkable correspondence with inclusive-jet suppression measurements, indicating that mass-dependent energy-loss effects are negligible at pT values greater than around 50 GeV/c. We use 150 inverse {\mu}b of lead-lead data and 35 inverse nb of proton-lead data collected at the LHC.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, proceedings from Quark Matter 201

Dynamic point location in general subdivisions

The {\em dynamic planar point location problem} is the task of maintaining a dynamic set $S$ of $n$ non-intersecting, except possibly at endpoints, line segments in the plane under the following operations: \begin{itemize} \item Locate($q$: point): Report the segment immediately above $q$, i.e., the first segment intersected by an upward vertical ray starting at $q$; \item Insert($s$: segment): Add segment $s$ to the collection $S$ of segments; \item Delete($s$: segment): Remove segment $s$ from the collection $S$ of segments. \end{itemize} We present a solution which requires space $O(n)$, has query and insertion time and deletion time. A query time was previously only known for monotone subdivisions and horizontal segments and required non-linear space

Techno-Economic Analysis of Integrated Enzyme Assisted Aqueous Extraction of Soybean Oil

Aqueous oil extraction is a process which replace organic solvent, hexane is most used in solvent extraction, with water. Comparing to typical solvent extraction and expelling processes, the aqueous extraction has higher oil yield (over 80%) than expelling process and that is exempt the issues resulted from chemical loading and remaining. The enzyme was used to improve the breakdown of cell and release free oil. The enzyme assisted aqueous extraction process (EAEP) includes dehulling, flaking, extraction and demulsification processes. SuperPro Designer was used to conduct the techno-economic analysis (TEA) of the extraction process. The total capital investment, operation cost and profits were evaluated. For EAEP extraction, that uses insolubility of water and oil, hence that could extract oil and protein simultaneously which decreases the operation cost especially on oil purification process and increases the profits from main product, soybean oil, and coproduct mainly protein in skim. Additionally, the free chemical loading and enzyme recycling also decrease material costs. Though the facility costs might increase due to extraction and demulsification processing unit, the value-added coproduct and high free oil yield are potential to have economic feasibility in pilot scale production

Environmental Impact Analysis of Soybean Oil Production from Expelling, Hexane Extraction and Enzyme Assisted Aqueous Extraction

In the industry, expelling and hexane extraction are the two typical processes for soybean oil production. However, the low efficiency and hazardous chemical problem are the main issues for these two processes respectively. Enzyme assisted aqueous extraction process (EAEP) is applied to increase the efficiency without using organic solvent, which is replaced by water. The environmental impact analysis of these three processes are based on their mass flows, energy consumption and global warming potential. For mass flows, the environmental impact indices were calculated based on mass balance of input and output components. Energy consumption was used to evaluate the carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. According to results, hexane extraction has the highest environmental impacts due to the application of organic solvent; EAEP has the highest CO2 and GHG emissions because of more requirements for soybean flaking processes

Brain-type and liver-type fatty acid-binding proteins: new tumor markers for renal cancer?

BACKGROUND: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most common renal neoplasm. Cancer tissue is often characterized by altered energy regulation. Fatty acid-binding proteins (FABP) are involved in the intracellular transport of fatty acids (FA). We examined the level of brain-type (B) and liver-type (L) FABP mRNA and the protein expression profiles of both FABPs in renal cell carcinoma. METHODS: Paired tissue samples of cancerous and noncancerous kidney parts were investigated. Quantitative RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry and western blotting were used to determine B- and L-FABP in tumor and normal tissues. The tissue microarray (TMA) contained 272 clinico-pathologically characterized renal cell carcinomas of the clear cell, papillary and chromophobe subtype. SPSS 17.0 was used to apply crosstables (chi2-test), correlations and survival analyses. RESULTS: B-FABP mRNA was significantly up-regulated in renal cell carcinoma. In normal tissue B-FABP mRNA was very low or often not detectable. RCC with a high tumor grading (G3 + G4) showed significantly lower B-FABP mRNA compared with those with a low grading (G1 + G2). Western blotting analysis detected B-FABP in 78% of the cases with a very strong band but in the corresponding normal tissue it was weak or not detectable. L-FABP showed an inverse relationship for mRNA quantification and western blotting. A strong B-FABP staining was present in 52% of the tumor tissues contained in the TMA. In normal renal tissue, L-FABP showed a moderate to strong immunoreactivity in proximal tubuli. L-FABP was expressed at lower rates compared with the normal tissues in 30.5% of all tumors. There was no correlation between patient survival times and the staining intensity of both FABPs. CONCLUSION: While B-FABP is over expressed in renal cell carcinoma in comparison to normal renal tissues L-FABP appears to be reduced in tumor tissue. Although the expression behavior was not related to the survival outcome of the RCC patients, it can be assumed that these changes indicate fundamental alterations in the fatty metabolism in the RCC carcinogenesis. Further studies should identify the role of both FABPs in carcinogenesis, progression and with regard to a potential target in RCC

Excavation: Recent Photographs by Stanley Greenberg Exhibition Catalogue

https://digitalcommons.fairfield.edu/greenberg-ephemera/1000/thumbnail.jp

Renal cell neoplasias: reversion-inducing cysteine-rich protein with Kazal motifs discriminates tumor subtypes, while extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer indicates prognosis

BACKGROUND: Matrix metalloproteinases can promote invasion and metastasis, which are very frequent in renal cell carcinoma even at the time of diagnosis. Knowing the reversion-inducing cysteine-rich protein with Kazal motifs (RECK) as an inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases and the extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN) protein as inducer, we aimed to determine their expression, localization and possible antagonistic action in the pathogenesis and progression of renal cell tumors in a retrospective study. METHODS: Tumor and adjacent normal tissues of 395 nephrectomized patients were immunostained for RECK and EMMPRIN on a tissue microarray. RESULTS: RECK strongly decreased in renal cell carcinoma compared to normal counterparts (Wilcoxon signed rank test, P < 0.001), and it discriminated tumor entities showing the highest expression in oncocytomas. EMMPRIN, however, could be significantly correlated to pT stage and Fuhrman grading (Spearman’s correlation coefficient r(s) = 0.289 and r(s) = 0.382, respectively). Higher expression of EMMPRIN was associated with decreased overall survival in Kaplan-Meier analysis (P < 0.001), and the EMMPRIN level could independently predict survival for cases without metastasis and involvement of lymph nodes. Decreased RECK expression was confirmed by Western blotting in tissue of eight normal/tumor matches of patients after radical nephrectomy, whereas the EMMPRIN pattern appeared to be heterogeneous. CONCLUSIONS: We propose RECK down regulation in renal cell carcinoma to be an early event that facilitates tumor formation and progression. EMMPRIN, however, as a prognostic tumor marker, increases only when aggressiveness is proceeding and could add an additional step to invasive properties of renal cell carcinoma

Absolute Triple Differential Cross Section for Ionization of Helium Near Threshold

Absolute measurements with an accuracy of 22% and theoretical results in a distorted-wave Born approximation (DWBA) are reported for the triple-differential cross section for 26.6-eV electron-impact ionization of helium. An apparatus is used that allows all scattering angles to be independently varied for both coplanar and noncoplanar geometries. The measurements are compared with a DWBA calculation that includes exchange distortion in the calculation of the distorted waves, as well as with earlier calculations by Crothers [J. Phys. B 19, 463 (1986)] and Pan and Starace [Phys. Rev. Lett. 67, 185 (1991)]. Emphasis is placed on understanding the mechanisms for near-threshold ionization

Phylogenetic analysis of hepatitis C virus isolates from hemodialysis patients

Phylogenetic analysis of hepatitis C virus isolates from hemodialysis patients. A high prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has been reported in hemodialysis patients. Main risk factors for transmission are previous blood transfusions and possibly nosocomial infections within the dialytic environment. In the present study 224 hemodialysis patients from the same department were tested for the presence of anti-HCV antibodies and HCV-RNA. The presence of anti-HCV in hemodialysis patients was correlated with a history of more than 10 blood transfusions (P = 0.001) and with a duration of hemodialysis treatment for more than 10 years (P = 0.001). The issue of possible patient-to-patient infection was addressed by sequence analysis of all HCV-RNA positive hemodialysis patients (N = 14) together with a control panel of HCV isolates from 56 unrelated non-hemodialysis patients with hepatitis C from the same geographical area. Subsequent phylogenetic analysis of nucleotide sequences obtained from the 5′-noncoding region and the nonstructural NS-5 region of the HCV genome revealed that only two hemodialysis patients were infected by a highly related HCV isolate. The remaining HCV-RNA positive hemodialysis patients including those without previous blood transfusions were all infected by phylogenetically-distant HCV isolates, providing evidence against a nosocomial transmission route. The data of the present study show that molecular epidemiological techniques are important to investigate the issue of nosocomial infection. In our hemodialysis unit patient-to-patient infection appears uncommon and draws attention towards other possible (such as, blood products such as human serum albumin, immunoglobulins) or even yet unrecognized transmission routes

Triggering the catalytic activity of SrTiO3-based ceramics by flash sintering

Confinement of charge carriers in nanoscopic systems has revealed to be an effective strategy to confer ceramic materials unconventional conductive properties by exploiting particle size effects and interfaces characteristics[1]. Strontium titanate (SrTiO3) is a piezoelectric oxide that requires to be doped by acceptor species (e.g. Fe substitution of Ti centers) in order to acquire fair chemical reactivity[2]. Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract