A League of Ocean\u27s Own

For this Anthropology and the Cinema course, students were required to analyze and compare two films using one of many theoretical concepts discussed in class (including theories of symbolism, metaphor, ritual, narrative, and culture). Instead of a traditional academic paper, students were required to present the material in a visual format. The concept behind the assignment was to help students understand the organization of ideas and images required to present information visually. This would not only encourage them to consider the films they were analyzing more carefully, but would help them experience the issues involved in translating ideas into images. Since more and more daily communication takes this form, this effort to advance the students\u27 visual literacy has both academic and practical implications.https://repository.upenn.edu/showcase_comics/1024/thumbnail.jp

Non-functional immunoglobulin G transcripts in a case of hyper-immunoglobulin M syndrome similar to type 4

86% of immunoglobulin G (IgG) heavy-chain gene transcripts were found to be non-functional in the peripheral blood B cells of a patient initially diagnosed with common variable immunodeficiency, who later developed raised IgM, whereas no non-functionally rearranged transcripts were found in the cells of seven healthy control subjects. All the patient's IgM heavy-chain and κ light-chain transcripts were functional, suggesting that either non-functional rearrangements were being selectively class-switched to IgG, or that receptor editing was rendering genes non-functional after class-switching. The functional γ-chain sequences showed a normal rate of somatic hypermutation while non-functional sequences contained few somatic mutations, suggesting that most came from cells that had no functional gene and therefore were not receiving signals for hypermutation. However, apoptosis of peripheral blood lymphocytes was not impaired. No defects have been found in any of the genes currently known to be responsible for hyper-IgM syndrome but the phenotype fits best to type 4

Human complement factor H. Two factor H proteins are derived from alternatively spliced transcripts

The human complement factor H is an important component in the control of the alternative pathway of complement activation. We have previously shown that at least three factor H homologous mRNA species of 4.3 kb, 1.8 kb and 1.4 kb in length are constitutively expressed in human liver. In addition, several factor Hrelated proteins have been detected in human sera using antibodies directed against the classical human factor H glycoprotein of 150 kDa.The structure of the additional polypeptides has not been shown so far. Circumstantial evidence suggests that the 1.8-kb mRNA might encode the 43-kDa factor H-like polypeptide. Here we report the isolation, characterization and eukaryotic expression of the first full-length cDNA representing the major 4.3-kb mRNA and the 1.8-kb mRNA of human factor H. We show that the 4.3-kb transcript encodes the 150-kDa-factor H glycoprotein and the 1.8-kb mRNA the 43-kDa factorH polypeptide. The identity of the two cDNA in a region of 1400 nucleotides suggests that the two factor H-related transcripts are derived from one gene by a process of alternative splicing

CD40-CD40 Ligand Interactions in Experimental Allergic Encephalomyelitis and Multiple Sclerosis.

We investigated the role of CD40-CD40 ligand (CD40L) interactions in multiple sclerosis (MS) and experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE). Activated helper T cells expressing CD40L (gp39) surface protein were found in MS patient brain sections, but not in brain tissue sections of normal controls or patients with other neurological disease. CD40L-positive cells were co-localized with CD40-bearing cells in active lesions (perivascular infiltrates). Most of these CD40-bearing cells proved to be of the monocytic lineage (macrophages or microglial cells), and relatively few were B cells. To functionally evaluate CD40-CD40L interactions, EAE was elicited in mice by means of proteolipid-peptide immunization. Treatment with anti-CD40L monoclonal antibody completely prevented the development of disease. Furthermore, administration of anti-CD40L monoclonal antibody, even after disease onset, shortly before maximum disability score was reached led to dramatic disease reduction. The presence of helper T cells expressing CD40L in brain tissue of MS patients and EAE animals, together with the functional evidence provided by successful experimental prevention and therapy in an animal model, indicates that blockade of CD40-CD40L-mediated cellular interactions may be a method for interference in active MS

Geomechanical characterization of the CO2CRC Otway Project site, Australia

Storage of CO2 in the subsurface is one of the options available to lower the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere, a general priority in mitigating effects of climate change. In this frame, a number of challenges need to be solved to ensure a safe storage containment by avoiding wellbore failure, fault reactivation, leakage of CO2 along faults, caprock failure and microseismicity. Risks related to those issues can be successfully addressed with an accurate geomechanical characterization prior to injection. The effectiveness of geomechanical methods has been recognized in production of hydrocarbon reservoirs as well as in fluid storage (i.e. waste water and gas). The case study chosen for this thesis is the CO2CRC Otway Project, launched in 2005 in the state of Victoria (Australia) as first pilot study for CO2 storage in the southern hemisphere. As international partner of CO2CRC, the PROTECT Research Group was established in 2011 to develop a seismo-mechanical workflow able to predict deformation at sub-seismic level. The work presented in this thesis contributes to the workflow by providing a geomechanical characterization of the storage site. More specifically, finite element forward modelling is used to obtain a description of the 3D state of stress. A joint effort with partners from PROTECT Research group led to the setup of a geological model based on a detailed 3D seismic interpretation. In particular, it provides the geometry information needed to the buildup of the geomechanical model at the core of this thesis. The inclusion of all lithostratigraphic layers up to the ground surface results in a strengthened reliability of the geomechanical model that can be potentially implemented as a reference in future well planning. Wells logs and a literature review provide rock and fault properties to populate the model, regional stress data are used as boundary conditions for the model and stress measurements from the wells allow to calibrate the model. In situ local stress is analyzed following two different approaches, both using finite element techniques, to provide a comprehensive knowledge of effective and total stresses in the injection area. The response of the in situ stress field to changes in pore pressure due to CO2 injection in the reservoir is studied through a one-way flow and geomechanics coupled simulation. The computed effective stresses acting on the reservoir allow to assess caprock integrity and potential fault reactivation in relation to CO2 injection operations. Vertical rock displacements are also derived from the modelling to understand compaction of the reservoir and subsidence/uplift at ground surface level during the initial gas production and the subsequent CO2 injection phase. In addition, a parametric study estimates the pore pressure needed to cause fault reactivation for both numerical and analytical models, along with the corresponding maximum allowable daily injection rate. The second approach consists of a structural analysis describing the tectonic present-day in situ stress distribution at reservoir scale. Resolution of the model allows to identify perturbation in stress magnitudes within the reservoir level, related mainly to the presence of faults. Stability of faults is analyzed from a structural point of view, estimating the slip and dilation tendency of each fault under the computed stress conditions. Identification and modelling of the major tectonic stages allows the reconstruction of the geomechanical evolution of the injection site. Evidences from the implemented models show some discrepancies in the outcome. Possible sources of divergence between numerical and analytical approach are explored, as well as factors affecting stress modelling using the two different geomechanical simulators. Combination of results aims to analyze and understand the occurrence of local stress rotations and its causes. Finally, the temporal evolution of the fracture network is studied by correlating observed fractures and modelled states of stress. Finally, a comparison with previous geomechanical models for the CO2CRC Otway Project is conducted in terms of critical pore pressure for fault reactivation. Increasing availability of data used to constrain the models is reflected in an enhanced level of accuracy. However, those models are purely analytical and do not consider variability in rock properties, topographic effects, presence of faults and interaction between adjacent cells. The degree of complexity handled by the numerical model presented in this thesis contributes to increase the confidence on risk analysis results. To summarize, this thesis presents the first 3D geomechanical model of the CO2CRC Otway project, with the aim to provide a comprehensive geomechanical characterization of the storage site. Description of the 3D state of state and fault stability analysis, taking into account both total and effective stresses, have particular relevance for storage performance and future well planning. Besides this specific case study, the proposed workflow can be potentially applied to other injection sites for pre-injection geomechanical assessment. More generally, the same methodology could be followed for understanding state of stress and faults behavior in hydrocarbon and geothermal reservoirs

Aircraft based four-channel thermal dissociation laser induced fluorescence instrument for simultaneous measurements of NO2, total peroxy nitrate, total alkyl nitrate, and HNO3

A four-channel thermal dissociation laser induced fluorescence (TD-LIF) instrument has been developed for simultaneous measurements of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), total peroxy nitrate (∑PNs), total alkyl nitrate (∑ANs) and nitric acid (HNO3). NO2 is measured directly by LIF at 532 nm, whereas organic nitrates and nitric acid are thermally dissociated at distinct temperatures in the inlet to form NO2, which is then measured by LIF. The concentrations of each dissociated species are derived by the differences in measured NO2 relative to the reference colder inlet channel. The TD-LIF was adapted to fly on board the UK Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements (FAAM) BAe 146-301 atmospheric research aircraft in summer 2010, and to date has successfully flown in five field campaigns. This paper reports novel improvements in the TD-LIF instrumentations, including (1) the use of a single wavelength laser, which makes the system compact and relatively cheap; (2) the use of a single beam laser that allows easy alignment and optical stability against the vibrational aircraft environment; and (3) the optical assembly of four detection cells that allow simultaneous and fast (time resolution up to 0.1 s) measurements of NO2, ∑PNs, ∑ANs and HNO3. Laboratory-generated mixtures of PNs, ANs and HNO3 in zero air are converted into NO2 and used to fix the dissociation temperatures of each heated inlet to test the selectivity of the instrument and potential interferences due to recombination reactions of the dissociated products. The effectiveness of the TD-LIF was demonstrated during the RONOCO aircraft campaign (summer 2010). A chemiluminescence system that was measuring NO2 and a broadband cavity enhanced absorption spectrometer (BBCEAS) that was measuring one of the PNs (N2O5) were installed on the same aircraft during the campaign. The in-flight intercomparison of the new TD-LIF with the chemiluminescence system for NO2 measurements and the intercomparison between ∑PNs measured by the TD-LIF and N2O5 by the BBCEAS are used to assess the performance of the TD-LIF

Inhibition of Immune Complex-Induced Inflammation by A small Molecular Weight Selectin Antagonist

The anti-inflammatory effect of a small molecular weight antagonist of P- and E-selectin-dependent cell adhesion was examined. The glycolipid sulphatide was shown to block the adherence of thrombin-activated rat platelets to HL-60 cells. This interaction is known to be dependent on P-selectin. The rat dermal reverse passive Arthus reaction was used to assess the effect of sulphatide on a neutrophil dependent inflammatory response. Sulphatide dosedependently blocked both the vascular permeability increase and cell infiltration after intraperitoneal administration. These results show that a small molecular weight compound which blocks P- and E-selectin dependent adhesion in vitro can effectively block the inflammation due to immune complex deposition. A compound with this type of profile may have therapeutic potential in the treatment of immune complex mediated diseases