EEOC v. Akal Security, INC.,

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Rituximab-Containing Treatment Regimens May Imply a Long-Term Risk for Difficult-To-Treat Chronic Hepatitis E

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is an emerging disease in industrialized countries which is usually characterized by a self-limited course. However, there is an increased risk of HEV persistence in immunocompromised risk populations, comprising patients following solid organ transplantation or hematological malignancies. Recently, chronic HEV infection following rituximab-containing treatment regimens has been described. Here we report five patients with chronic hepatitis E after prior rituximab therapy for various indications. We determined the immunological characteristics of these patients and analyzed the development of ribavirin (RBV) treatment failure-associated mutations in the HEV genome. One patient became chronically HEV-infected 110 months after administration of rituximab (RTX). Immunological characterization revealed that all patients exhibited significant hypogammaglobulinemia and CD4+ T cell lymphopenia. One patient permanently cleared HEV following weight-based ribavirin treatment while three patients failed to reach a sustained virological response. In depth mutational analysis confirmed the presence of specific mutations associated with RBV treatment failure in these patients. Our cases indicate that rituximab-containing treatment regimens might imply a relevant risk for persistent HEV infection even years after the last rituximab application. Moreover, we provide further evidence to prior observations suggesting that chronically HEV infected patients following RTX-containing treatment regimens might be difficult to treat

Targeting sequences of the two major peroxisomal proteins in the methylotrophic yeast Hansenula polymorpha

Dihydroxyacetone synthase (DAS) and methanol oxidase (MOX) are the major enzyme constituents of the peroxisomal matrix in the methylotrophic yeast Hansenula polymorpha when grown on methanol as a sole carbon source. In order to characterize their topogenic signals the localization of truncated polypeptides and hybrid proteins was analysed in transformed yeast cells by subcellular fractionation and electron microscopy. The C-terminal part of DAS, when fused to the bacterial β-lactamase or mouse dihydrofolate reductase, directed these hybrid polypeptides to the peroxisome compartment. The targeting signal was further delimited to the extreme C-terminus, comprising the sequence N-K-L-COOH, similar to the recently identified and widely distributed peroxisomal targeting signal (PTS) S-K-L-COOH in firefly luciferase. By an identical approach, the extreme C-terminus of MOX, comprising the tripeptide A-R-F-COOH, was shown to be the PTS of this protein. Furthermore, on fusion of a C-terminal sequence from firefly luciferase including the PTS, β-lactamase was also imported into the peroxisomes of H. polymorpha. We conclude that, besides the conserved PTS (or described variants), other amino acid sequences with this function have evolved in nature

Ecological and Economic Feasibility of Inductive Heating for Sustainable Press Hardening Processes

Press hardening is an established process for the production of high-strength lightweight structural automotive parts, like the B-pillar. While lightweight design is an important aspect of emission reduction during the use phase, emissions arising in other phases of the automotive lifecycle also need to be considered. Roller-hearth-furnaces, as used during the press hardening process, present a non-negligible source of greenhouse gas emissions in part production processes. Alternative heating methods, such as inductive heating, may pose a possibility to reduce emissions during the manufacturing process, while also offering additional advantages in high process flexibility, high energy efficiency and low space requirements. However, there are multiple challenges when it comes to inductive heating of sheet metal for industrial processes, such as homogeneity of heating and resulting material properties. Therefore, various investigation on the usability of inductive heating for press hardening process have been conducted. Recently, an inductive heating process utilizing a longitudinal field inductor for industrial press hardening has been developed, showing good results in regard to process homogeneity, heating times and material properties. This process is used as a baseline for an ecological and economical assessment of inductive heating for industrial press hardening processes in comparison to traditional gas-fired furnaces. The reference values for a comparison on cost and emission are based on a gas-fired conveyor furnace with constant speed used for the heating of sheet metal for press hardening. The share of furnace operation modes, like standby and production with varying good-mass flows, as well as resulting natural gas demands are provided. From this data, specific energy requirements of heated sheet metal can be derived for various material mass flows and utilization scenarios, which serve as a baseline for the cost and emission comparison.  The objective of this study is to determine the emissions and costs for inductive heating compared to conventional gas-fired roller-hearth furnaces for different parameter-set of boundary conditions like product mass flow, energy prices, emission factors depending on energy transition scenarios. Based on this evaluation matrix, break-even conditions favoring inductive heating can be identified.&nbs

Geology, paragenesis, and alteration patterns of the E1 group of iron oxide-Cu-Au deposits, Cloncurry district, northwest Queensland, Australia

The Proterozoic E1 Group of iron oxide-Cu-Au deposits, composed of E1 North, East, and South, is located 8 km east of the world-class Ernest Henry IOCG deposit in the Cloncurry district of northwest Queensland, and contains estimated resources of 48 Mt averaging 0.72% Cu and 0.21 g/t Au. The E1 Group has been recently discovered below 20-50 m of Mesozoic sedimentary rocks near the world-class Ernest Henry IOCG, but its relationship to that deposit is not clear. Modelling of drill data indicates that the orebody is stratigraphically controlled within a series of folded, discontinuous metatuff, metasiltstone, marble and metapsammite lenses intercalated with metabasalt and glomerophyric metaandesite. The metaandesite is likely equivalent to the intermediate volcanic rocks hosting the Ernest Henry deposit. The E1 North orebody is controlled by a NW-plunging antiform, with mineralization occurring in a single major, discontinuous metatuff lens on the east limb, and in two discontinuous metatuff lenses on the west limb. The west limb of the antiform is truncated by Corella Breccia, and the east limb continues to the southeast to form the west limb of the E1 South synform. The E1 South orebody is comprised of three discontinuous lenses within this synform, with the upper lenses hosted in metasiltstone and the lowermost lens hosted in metatuff continuing from the E1 North antiform east limb. The uppermost ore lens of E1 South grades into barren carbonaceous metapelite, and the entire E1 South system is truncated to the southeast by the Mount Margaret Fault Zone. E1 East ores are hosted in two steeply east-dipping lenses of metasilts intercalated with metabasalt and surrounded by Corella Breccia. E1 Group mineralization is characterized dominantly by fine (0.05 mm) to coarse (3 mm)-grained layer-controlled magnetite-chalcopyrite-pyrite±Fe-Mn-carbonate±barite±fluorite±biotite±albite±chlorite±apatite±arsenopyrite±pyrrhotite±monazite (tr.) ±coffinite (tr.) ±uraninite(tr.) replacement of layered metatuff and metasilt, and matrix-controlled replacement of volcaniclastic metatuff, associated with Fe-Mn-carbonate-quartz-barite-fluoritealbite-chalcopyrite-magnetite-biotite-chlorite-apatite veining. Very high-grade ores (>2% Cu) typically exhibit a massive texture which completely overprints earlier layering. This replacementdominated mineralization style is substantially different from that of the hydrothermal brecciahosted Ernest Henry orebody. The E1 paragenetic sequence is comprised of four major stages: 1) Sodic-calcic: albite-quartzhematite±actinolite±magnetite; 2) Potassic(-Fe): K-feldspar-biotite-magnetite; 3) Ore stage A: magnetite-Fe-carbonate-chalcopyrite-pyrite-quartz-barite-fluorite-biotite (±Ba-Cl)-chloriteapatite-muscovite (±Ba)-monazite; and 4) Ore stage B: Mn-(Fe)-carbonate-barite-fluorite-chalcopyrite-pyrite-quartz-sericite-arsenopyrite-pyrrhotite. Stage 1 and 2 alterations are heavily overprinted by mineralization, and are most visible immediately outside the orebody and within and proximal to the Corella Breccia. Stages 3-4 carbonate veins, accompanied by chlorite and sericite alteration, are widespread throughout the mine lease, but are most prevalent outside the orebody in the more brittle metabasalts, metaandesites and Corella Breccia. In the west limb of the E1 North antiform the carbonate veins contain abundant apatite, magnetite, and pyrite, forming a magnetic and Fe-P-rich geochemical anomaly extending 150-200m southwest from the orebody. The E1 Group and Ernest Henry share a similar paragenetic sequence of early sodic (-Ca), intermediate potassic (-Fe), and late mineralization alteration, suggesting a similar genetic origin. The reason(s) for differing mineralization styles between the two systems, despite being hosted in similar rock types, is under investigation

Geology, paragenesis, and alteration patterns of the E1 group of iron oxide-Cu-Au deposits, Cloncurry district, northwest Queensland, Australia

The Proterozoic E1 Group of iron oxide-Cu-Au deposits, composed of E1 North, East, and South, is located 8 km east of the world-class Ernest Henry IOCG deposit in the Cloncurry district of northwest Queensland, and contains estimated resources of 48 Mt averaging 0.72% Cu and 0.21 g/t Au. The E1 Group has been recently discovered below 20-50 m of Mesozoic sedimentary rocks near the world-class Ernest Henry IOCG, but its relationship to that deposit is not clear. Modelling of drill data indicates that the orebody is stratigraphically controlled within a series of folded, discontinuous metatuff, metasiltstone, marble and metapsammite lenses intercalated with metabasalt and glomerophyric metaandesite. The metaandesite is likely equivalent to the intermediate volcanic rocks hosting the Ernest Henry deposit. The E1 North orebody is controlled by a NW-plunging antiform, with mineralization occurring in a single major, discontinuous metatuff lens on the east limb, and in two discontinuous metatuff lenses on the west limb. The west limb of the antiform is truncated by Corella Breccia, and the east limb continues to the southeast to form the west limb of the E1 South synform. The E1 South orebody is comprised of three discontinuous lenses within this synform, with the upper lenses hosted in metasiltstone and the lowermost lens hosted in metatuff continuing from the E1 North antiform east limb. The uppermost ore lens of E1 South grades into barren carbonaceous metapelite, and the entire E1 South system is truncated to the southeast by the Mount Margaret Fault Zone. E1 East ores are hosted in two steeply east-dipping lenses of metasilts intercalated with metabasalt and surrounded by Corella Breccia. E1 Group mineralization is characterized dominantly by fine (0.05 mm) to coarse (3 mm)-grained layer-controlled magnetite-chalcopyrite-pyrite±Fe-Mn-carbonate±barite±fluorite±biotite±albite±chlorite±apatite±arsenopyrite±pyrrhotite±monazite (tr.) ±coffinite (tr.) ±uraninite(tr.) replacement of layered metatuff and metasilt, and matrix-controlled replacement of volcaniclastic metatuff, associated with Fe-Mn-carbonate-quartz-barite-fluoritealbite-chalcopyrite-magnetite-biotite-chlorite-apatite veining. Very high-grade ores (>2% Cu) typically exhibit a massive texture which completely overprints earlier layering. This replacementdominated mineralization style is substantially different from that of the hydrothermal brecciahosted Ernest Henry orebody. The E1 paragenetic sequence is comprised of four major stages: 1) Sodic-calcic: albite-quartzhematite±actinolite±magnetite; 2) Potassic(-Fe): K-feldspar-biotite-magnetite; 3) Ore stage A: magnetite-Fe-carbonate-chalcopyrite-pyrite-quartz-barite-fluorite-biotite (±Ba-Cl)-chloriteapatite-muscovite (±Ba)-monazite; and 4) Ore stage B: Mn-(Fe)-carbonate-barite-fluorite-chalcopyrite-pyrite-quartz-sericite-arsenopyrite-pyrrhotite. Stage 1 and 2 alterations are heavily overprinted by mineralization, and are most visible immediately outside the orebody and within and proximal to the Corella Breccia. Stages 3-4 carbonate veins, accompanied by chlorite and sericite alteration, are widespread throughout the mine lease, but are most prevalent outside the orebody in the more brittle metabasalts, metaandesites and Corella Breccia. In the west limb of the E1 North antiform the carbonate veins contain abundant apatite, magnetite, and pyrite, forming a magnetic and Fe-P-rich geochemical anomaly extending 150-200m southwest from the orebody. The E1 Group and Ernest Henry share a similar paragenetic sequence of early sodic (-Ca), intermediate potassic (-Fe), and late mineralization alteration, suggesting a similar genetic origin. The reason(s) for differing mineralization styles between the two systems, despite being hosted in similar rock types, is under investigation

De ascite

This thesis is bound with Volume 2 of Gustavus Richard Brown\u27s handwritten notes of William Cullen\u27s Lectures on Physiology.https://digitalcommons.wustl.edu/gustavus_brown_lecturenotes/1003/thumbnail.jp

LNCS

Responsiveness—the requirement that every request to a system be eventually handled—is one of the fundamental liveness properties of a reactive system. Average response time is a quantitative measure for the responsiveness requirement used commonly in performance evaluation. We show how average response time can be computed on state-transition graphs, on Markov chains, and on game graphs. In all three cases, we give polynomial-time algorithms