Assembly Bill 2222: California Pushes and Breaks the Disability Law Envelope

John H. Fanning Labor Law Writing Competition Winner, 2001-2002 Competitio

Rapamycin has no effect on fibrosis-associated gene expression or extracellular matrix accumulation when administered to animals with established or early allograft vasculopathy

AbstractBackgroundMost patients with functioning heart transplants have established and progressive chronic allograft vasculopathy, a fibroproliferative process for which there is no effective treatment. Coronary artery disease is characterized by histologic evidence of extracellular matrix accumulation (fibrosis). This study compares the effect of rapamycin administered to rats with established allograft vasculopathy on histologic indices of disease progression, extracellular matrix accumulation (fibrosis), and the expression of genes known to regulate extracellular matrix turnover in this model.MethodsLewis recipients of Fisher 344 rat thoracic to abdominal aorta transplants were administered rapamycin starting at 8, 12, and 16 weeks posttransplant or no treatment. Six grafts in each group were harvested at 24 weeks. Vascular remodeling and collagen accumulation (Sirius red) were measured by computerized histomorphometry of aortic sections. mRNA was extracted from frozen tissue, and the expression of fibrosis-associated genes was studied by means of semiquantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction.ResultsRapamycin had no effect on the progression of early or established allograft vasculopathy with regard to intimal thickening, remodeling, extracellular matrix accumulation, or profibrotic gene expression, regardless of the time commenced.ConclusionThe attenuation of the fibroproliferative response in rodents by rapamycin is not seen if the onset of rapamycin therapy is delayed

MAGIICAT V. Orientation of Outflows and Accretion Determine the Kinematics and Column Densities of the Circumgalactic Medium

We investigate the dependence of gas kinematics and column densities in the MgII-absorbing circumgalactic medium on galaxy color, azimuthal angle, and inclination to trace baryon cycle processes. Our sample of 30 foreground isolated galaxies at $0.3<z_{\rm gal}<1.0$, imaged with the Hubble Space Telescope, are probed by background quasars within a projected distance of $20<D<110$ kpc. From the high-resolution ($\Delta v\simeq 6.6$ km s$^{-1}$) quasar spectra, we quantify the extent of the absorber velocity structure with pixel-velocity two-point correlation functions. Absorbers with the largest velocity dispersions are associated with blue, face-on ($i<57^{\circ}$) galaxies probed along the projected minor axis ($\Phi \geq 45^{\circ}$), while those with the smallest velocity dispersions belong to red, face-on galaxies along the minor axis. The velocity structure is similar for edge-on ($i \geq 57^{\circ}$) galaxies regardless of galaxy color or azimuthal angle, for red galaxies with azimuthal angle, and for blue and red galaxies probed along the projected major axis ($\Phi<45^{\circ}$). The cloud column densities for face-on galaxies and red galaxies are smaller than for edge-on galaxies and blue galaxies, respectively. These results are consistent with biconical outflows along the minor axis for star-forming galaxies and accreting and/or rotating gas, which is most easily observed in edge-on galaxies probed along the major axis. Gas entrained in outflows may be fragmented with large velocity dispersions, while gas accreting onto or rotating around galaxies may be more coherent due to large path lengths and smaller velocity dispersions. Quiescent galaxies may exhibit little-to-no outflows along the minor axis, while accretion/rotation may exist along the major axis.Comment: 12 pages, 6 figures, 1 table. Accepted for publication in Ap