1,788 research outputs found
Clinical isolates of <i>S. pneumoniae</i> used in this study with their ST, and the results for C3b/iC3b deposition (FI in 25% serum), IgG binding (FI 25% human serum), C1q binding (FI 25% human serum), and neutrophil association (percentage association in 20% human serum).
No full texta<p>FIs are expressed as arbitrary units.</p>b<p>BHN, Birgitta Henriques-Normark; BGS, Brian G. Spratt.</p>c<p>not available.</p
Universities in the Ecozoic Era: Director\u27s Inaugural Lecture for the Center for Climate, Society, and the Environment
No full textIn this inaugural lecture of Gonzaga\u27s new Center for Climate, Society, and the Environment, the Center\u27s Director Brian G. Henning, Ph.D. shares his vision for the Center and its work ahead.
Dr. Brian G. Henning is the inaugural Director and founder of the Gonzaga Center for Climate, Society, and the Environment. Originally from Boise, Idaho, Dr. Henning joined faculty in 2008 and is Professor of Philosophy and Professor of Environmental Studies. An award-winning author, Dr. Henning has written or edited more than 10 books and 35 articles and chapters, including Riders in the Storm: Ethics in an Age of Climate Change (Anselm 2015) and Climate Change Ethics and the Non-human World (Routledge 2020)
A statistical forecast model of weather-related damage to a major electric utility
No full textA model has been developed to relate meteorological conditions to damages incurred by the outdoor electrical equipment (plant) of Public Service Electric and Gas (PSE&G), the largest public utility in New Jersey. Utilizing a perfect prognosis approach, the model consists of equations derived from a backwards eliminated multiple linear regression analysis of observed damage (the predictand) and corresponding surface observations from a variety of sources including local storm reports (the predictors). The analysis gives a different equation for each combination of plant damage element (e.g., poles down, transformers blown), the four PSE&G service territories, and objectively defined storm modes (e.g., Thunderstorm, Heat Wave, None). The predictors used most often were found to be products of maximum wind gust with maximum temperature, daily liquid water equivalent precipitation, and ten day accumulated liquid equivalent precipitation, and were often found to be significant (p-value less than 0.05). The number of severe weather reports provided significant predictors for the Thunderstorm storm mode. The resulting regression equations produced coefficients of determination ranging from 0.032 to 0.697 with the lowest values for the None and Cold storm modes, and the highest values for the Thunderstorm and Mix storm modes. The appropriate model equations were applied to an independent verification dataset and the verification standard deviations were compared to the model derived standard errors which revealed heteroscedasticity (predictand error variance is proportional to the predictand itself) in the model. Both error measurements are calculated assuming independence, and they represent a lower-bound on the error estimation because the training dataset was not transformed into a normal distribution and the use of count data for damaged elements yields a non-independent dataset. Two case studies analyzed to critique model performance yielded insight into model shortcomings where lightning information and wind duration were found to be important missing predictors. The case studies were also used to develop guidelines for applying the model in an operational setting. The development of a damage model for other utility companies in other contexts is discussed.M.S.Includes abstractIncludes bibliographical referencesby Brian John Cerrut
Partitioning of gases to ice in the atmosphere: effects on nitric acid and the formation of sulfate
No full textThis thesis describes the first implementation of gas-to-ice partitioning of three inorganic gases (HNO3, SO2 and H2O2), along with subsequent chemical reactions and changes in gas phase and particle mass concentrations in the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) chemical transport model. Adsorbed HNO3 was assumed to condense and partition to the aerosol phase. Adsorbed SO2 and H2O2 reacted to form sulfate on the ice surface. Four different simulations were performed with CMAQv4.7.1 for August 12th-25th of 2005: 1) base case simulation without the addition of lightning-generated NOx, 2) a simulation with the addition of lightning-generated NOx, 3) 100% partitioning case and 4) 25% partitioning case. Simulations 3) and 4) provided an upper and lower bound for the partitioning of adsorbed HNO3 to remain in the aerosol phase. Considerable decreases, greater than 25% in gas phase HNO3, were noted in the 100% partitioning case for 200-600 mb, with the largest changes at 300 mb and 400 mb. Potential effects induced on other gases in the nitrogen budget (NOx and HONO) and oxidant cycling of atmosphere (O3) due to gas-to-ice partitioning of HNO3 were considered. Decreases in NOx and HONO gas mixing ratios were found to be as high 20%, but were generally less than 10%. Changes in O3 concentration were less than 1%. Increases in nitrate aerosol mass concentration were as high as 0.15 µg/m3 for the upper levels of the atmosphere. No changes in H2O2, SO2, or sulfate aerosol concentrations were observed.M.S.Includes bibliographical referencesby Brian P. Marm
Autoworker and acclaimed author Ben Hamper speaks at the Michigan Writers Series
No full textIn an appearance at the Michigan State University Main Library, autoworker and acclaimed author Ben Hamper talks about his career at the General Motors Truck and Bus Plant in Flint, Michigan and reads from various works, including his forward to the book "Working words: punching the clock and kicking out the jams" by M. L. Liebler and from his most famous work, "Rivethead", a cynical and humorous view of life in an auto plant. A question and answer session follows. Hamper is introduced by Michigan State University Professor John P. Beck for the Michigan State University Libraries' Michigan Writers Series
Give growth and macroeconomic stability in Russia a chance - harden budgets by eliminating nonpayments
No full textThe authors analyze the links between Russia's disappointing growth performance in the second half of the 1990s, its costly and unsuccessful stabilization, the macroeconomic meltdown of 1998, and the spectacular rise of non-payments. Non-payments flourished in an environment of fundamental inconsistency between a macroeconomic policy geared at sharp disinflation, and a microeconomic policy of bailing enterprises out through soft budget constraints. Heavy untargeted implicit subsidies flowing through the non-payments system (amounting to 10 percent of GDP annually) have stifled growth, contributed to the August 1998 meltdown, through their impact on public debt, and have made at best a questionable contribution to equity. Dismantling this system must be a top priority, along with promoting enterprise restructuring and growth (by hardening budget constraints) and medium-term macroeconomic stability (by reducing the size of subsidies). Getting the government out of the non-payments system means settling all appropriately controlled budgetary expenditures on time, and in cash, and eschewing spending arrears, thereby setting an example for enterprises, and laying the groundwork for eliminating tax offsets at all levels of government, and insisting on cash tax payments. To stop energy-related subsidies, would require not only that the government pay its own energy bills on time, and in cash, but also that the energy monopolies be empowered to disconnect non-paying clients. This will enable the government to insist that the energy monopolies in turn pay their own taxes in full, and on time.Banks&Banking Reform,Public Sector Economics&Finance,Economic Theory&Research,Payment Systems&Infrastructure,Environmental Economics&Policies,Banks&Banking Reform,Environmental Economics&Policies,Municipal Financial Management,Public Sector Economics&Finance,Economic Theory&Research
Anaerobic digestion of equine waste:
No full textThe goals of this project were to determine the methane production potential of horse manure during anaerobic digestion; to examine the effect of softwood chip bedding, pelleted Woody Pet® softwood bedding, and straw on the methane production potential of equine stall waste; and to investigate the feasibility of co-digestion of waste food and equine waste under thermophilic conditions.
Initial results suggested that softwood bedding may have inhibited methane production in 15 L semi-continuous digesters. However, further extensive investigation in batch and continuous flow digesters determined that softwood bedding did not inhibit methane production and, on the contrary, contributed to methane production. The methane production potential for horse manure at 35°C averaged 139 ± 65 L/ kg VS (average ± standard deviation) and 29 ± 15 L/ kg wet weight, corresponding to 9.2 ± 4.8 x 105 kJ / metric ton wet weight. The energy production potential of stall waste with softwood chip bedding ranged from 4.0 ± 0.4 x 105 kJ / metric ton wet weight to 6.6 ± 0.8 x 105 kJ / metric ton wet weight, depending upon the relative amount of bedding present.
Co-digestion of equine waste and food waste under thermophilic conditions was performed at the 20 L and 6.3 m3 scale. The 20 L thermophilic digesters were fed a variety of food wastes in addition to stall waste containing softwood bedding. The methane production from these digesters was 356 ± 61 L/kg VS-d. The large-scale (6.3 m3) digester was operated in excess of one year primarily on waste food and horse manure (no bedding). The loading rate increased over time to 1.7 kg VS/m3-d. The methane content of the biogas was 55.7 ± 5.2 %. Total ammonia nitrogen approached 5 g/L, suggesting a higher C:N ratio feed stock mixture than that afforded by the waste food and horse manure mixture might be necessary for future applications.M.S.Includes bibliographical references (p. 115-122)by Brian A. Wartel
Atlantic Guardian, vol. 01, no. 09 (October 1945)
No full textNewfoundland as a market / J. C. Britton -- Tin-can racing / Brian Cahill -- The business went elsewhere / Brian Cahill -- Boy hunter makes good / E. S. Gallop -- Atlantic Charter Memorial Chapel -- Education in Newfoundland / G. A. Frecker -- When Home Rule ended (contributed) -- If those walls could talk... / Sub.-Lieut. Harold Walker -- Life story of an islander / Allan MacLachlan -- Guardian angles -- Songs of Newfoundland -- The editor's page.A popular magazine covering Newfoundland news and human interest stories with features such as Newfoundlanders Abroad, the Baby of the Month and community profiles, as well as poetry and short stories. Heavily illustrated with photographs. -- "Atlantic Guardian's platform: to make Newfoundland better known at home and abroad; to promote trade and travel in the Island; to encourage development of the Island's natural resources; to foster good relations between Newfoundland and her neighbors" (on all title pages after vol. 1, no. 4).Published monthly 1945-57, thereafter absorbed by the Atlantic Advocate (1952-92); suspended publication: October 1952-May 1953. Missing issues: vol. 14, nos. 7-8. -- An index to vols. 1-10 by author and/or article type is in vol. 11, no. 1 (January-February 1954), p. 33-48
Mannheimsia tianzena Brown 2005, comb. n.
No full textMannheimsia tianzena (Liu, 1995), comb. n. Figs 10, 13 Chouomyia tianzena Liu, 1995: 186, figs 1–10. Material examined: CHINA: Shaanxi, 1ơ 22.vi.1993, G. Liu (LACM). Remarks: The original description did not include the secondary process of the right hypandrial lobe; likely the author considered it to be part of the aedeagus. My illustration (Fig. 10) differs somewhat from that of Liu because it is drawn at a slightly different angle.Published as part of Brown, Brian V., 2005, Classification of two poorly known genera of African Phoridae (Diptera), pp. 133 in African Invertebrates 46 on page 139, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.766688
Tissue engineering of a tracheal substitute
No full textLectin histochemistry and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to assess the growth and characterise the differentiation of human respiratory epithelial cells (REC) cultured on two biomaterial scaffolds. The first scaffold, based on a hyaluronic acid derivative, was observed to be non-adhesive for REC. This lack of adhesion was found to be unrelated to the presence of the hyaluronic acid binding domain on the surface of isolated REC. The other scaffold, consisting of equine collagen, was observed to encourage REC spreading and adhesion. Positive Ulex Europaeus agglutinin (UEA) lectin staining of this preparation indicated the presence of ciliated REC on the scaffold surface. However, the marked decrease in peanut agglutinin (PNA) positive staining, relative to that of control cultures and native tissue, indicates a dedifferentiation of the secretory cells in monolayer. SEM analysis of REC cultured on the collagen scaffold confirmed the presence of ciliated cells thereby validating the UEA positive staining. The presence of both established and developing cilia was also verified. This indicates that collagen biomaterials are appropriate for the tissue engineering of REC. Furthermore, that UEA and PNA staining is a useful tool in the characterisation of cells cultured on biomaterials, therefore helpful in identifying biomaterials that are suitable for specific tissue engineering purposes.
The culture of REC at an air liquid interface (ALI) was investigated. Both conventional ALI inserts and the Biofleece scaffold were used. The cells grown the on conventional inserts became multilayered and showed some degree of ciliation after the period of ten days. The cells grown on the Biofleece scaffold became necrotic and died due to nutrient deprivation. The use of ALI culture techniques on scaffold materials needs to be adjusted to allow for sufficient nutrient supply to the cells.
The Biofleece scaffold was found to be suitable for the tissue engineering of cartilage in vitro. Constructs with a cartilage-like morphology were generated with the scaffold after two weeks in culture. The tissue-engineered cartilage was found to contain a higher number of cells and less extracellular matrix (ECM) than the native tissue controls. Suction seeding techniques were used to improve the distribution of cells within the scaffold and thereby increase the overall efficiency of cartilage tissue engineering within the scaffold. Alcian blue (AB) and Papanicolau (PN) stains of the tissue engineered cartilage described two distinct regions within the constructs, namely the developed cartilage-like region and the developing region. The latter is thought to be areas in which the cartilage cells are yet to fully remodel the scaffold material and deposit their own “native” ECM. However, the Biofleece scaffold material was observed to loose 40-50% of its initial volume during the tissue engineering process over a period of two weeks. Thus the degradation of the Biofleece scaffold exceeds the rate of maturation of the cartilage tissue within the scaffold. This rapid biodegradation is most likely a result of matrixmetalloproteinase (MMP), in particular collagenase, production by the maturing chondrocytes. This reduction in size means that the Biofleece scaffold is not an appropriate material for the tissue engineering of a trachea. The optimal biomaterial for the tissue engineering of a trachea would degrade at a rate equal too, or slower than, the time taken for the cells within the scaffold to mature into functional tissue.
The co-culture of REC and chondrocytes was achieved through the use of matrigel as a basement membrane replacement (note that direct growth of REC on cartilage tissue has been observed to be difficult). The co-cultured constructs were not stable because the Biofleece scaffold degrades at a high rate in the presence of both cell types. The constructs were observed to shrink to approximately 35-30% of the original dimensions in a period of 3-7 days. The reason for this accelerated degradation is not known but is most likely the result of severe MMP production by the two cell types when in combination.
It was concluded that the characterisation procedures used in this study (histochemical staining, fluorescent staining and scanning electron microscopy) for both REC and chondrocyte tissue engineered constructs are appropriate for this and further studies. The chondrocyte seeding methodologies in particular are a useful tool for tissue engineering. This study succeeds in many ways to investigate the tissue engineering of a tracheal substitute by detailing how REC and chondrocytes can be cultured on biomaterials and assessed for tissue development. However, the study does not deliver such a viable substitute as an end product. The primary reason for this outcome is the rapid degradation of the Biofleece scaffold materialLectin Histochemie und Elektronenmikroskopie wurden benutzt, um das Wachstum von humanen respiratorischen Epithelzellen (RECs), welche auf zwei Biomaterialien kultiviert wurden, festzusetzen und ihren Differenzierungsgrad zu bestimmen. Das erste Trägermaterial, welches auf einem Hyaluronsäurederivat basiert, ließ keine Anheftung der RECs zu. Diese fehlende Anheftung ließ sich jedoch nicht zurückführen auf das Vorhandensein der Hyaluronsäure bindenden Domaine auf der Oberfläche isolierter RECs. Das andere Trägermaterial, aus Pferdekollagen hergestellt, zeigte dagegen eine verstärkte Teilungsaktivität und Anheftung der REC. Die positive Ulex Europaeus Agglutinin (UEA) Lectin Färbung dieser Proben ließ die Anwesenheit von mit Zilien versehenen RECs auf der Trägerstoffoberfläche vermuten. Darüber hinaus weist das im Vergleich zu Kontrollkulturen und nativem Gewebe deutliche Nachlassen der positiven Peanut Agglutinin–Färbereaktion auf eine Dedifferenzierung der sekretorischen Zellen in der Monolayer-Kultur hin. Die rasterelektronenmikroskopische Untersuchung der auf dem Kollagenbiomaterial kultivierten RECs bestätigte das Auftreten von Zellen mit Zilien und damit auch die Aussagekräftigkeit der positiven UEA–Färbung. Dies zeigt somit, dass Biomaterialien aus Kollagen für das Tissue Engineering von RECs geeignet sind und dass sowohl die UEA–als auch die PNA–Färbung geeignete Methoden zur Charakterisierung von Zellen darstellen, die auf Biomaterialien kultiviert wurden. Somit helfen sie bei der Identifizierung von Biomaterialien für bestimmte Einsatzgebiete im Tissue Engineering.
Des weiteren wurde die Kultivierung von RECs auf einem Air liquid interface (ALI) untersucht, wobei sowohl der konventionelle ALI–Einsatz als auch das Biovliesmaterial zum Einsatz kamen. Dabei wuchsen die Zellen auf dem konventionellen Einsatz in Multilayern und zeigten nach einem Zeitraum von 10 Tagen einen bestimmten Anteil an Ziliierung. Die Zellen auf dem Biovlies dagegen wurden nekrotisch und gingen schließlich an Nahrungsmangel ein. Deshalb muss der Einsatz von ALI–Kulturtechniken bei Trägermaterialien dementsprechend modifiziert werden, dass eine ausreichende Versorgung der Zellen mit Nährstoffen gewährleistet ist.
Für das in vitro–Tissue Engineering von Knorpel erwies sich das Biovlies jedoch als geeignet. Mit ihm konnten nach zwei Wochen Kulturzeit Konstrukte mit einer knorpelähnlichen Morphologie erzeugt werden. Dabei zeigte sich, dass der Tissue Engineering–Knorpel eine höhere Zellzahl bei reduzierter extrazellulärer Matrix (ECM) aufwies als vergleichbares natives Kontrollgewebe. Dabei wurden Saugtechniken benutzt, um die Verteilung der Zellen im Trägerstoff zu verbessern. Die Alzian – Blau – Färbung (AB) und Papanicolau – Färbung (PN) zeigten bei dem Tissue Engineering–Knorpel zwei unterschiedliche Regionen innerhalb des Konstrukts, nämlich eine knorpelähnliche bereits entwickelte Region und eine sich entwickelnde Region. Bei letzterer dürfte es sich wohl um Gebiete handeln, in denen Zellen noch im Begriff sind, den Trägerstoff vollends umzubauen und ihre eigene „native“ ECM abzulagern. Nichtsdestoweniger büßte das Biovlies während des Tissue Engineering Prozesses über einen Zeitraum von zwei Wochen annähernd 40-50 % seines anfänglichen Volumens ein. Somit übersteigt das Ausmaß der Degradation des Biovlieses das des Heranreifens von Knorpelgewebe in dem Trägermaterial. Diese schnelle Biodegradation ist am ehesten das Ergebnis der Aktivität von Matrixmetalloproteinasen (MMP), insbesondere der Kollagenase, welche von reifenden Chondrozyten produziert wird. Diese Schrumpfung bedeutet also, dass das Biovlies kein geeignetes Material für das Tissue Engineering der Trachea darstellt. Denn ein optimales Biomaterial für das Tissue Engineering der Trachea sollte sich innerhalb derselben Zeit bzw. über einen längeren Zeitraum hinweg abbauen, als innerhalb desjenigen, den die sich in dem Trägermaterial befindlichen Zellen benötigen, um zu funktionalem Gewebe heranzureifen.
Durch den Einsatz von Matrigel als Ersatz für die Basalmembran konnte eine Kokultur aus RECs und Chondrozyten etabliert werden (wobei anzumerken ist, dass sich direktes Wachstum von RECs auf Knorpelgewebe als problematisch erweist). Die Konstrukte aus Kokulturen waren nicht stabil, da das Biovlies in Anwesenheit beider Zelltypen hochgradig abgebaut wird. Innerhalb von 3–7 Tagen schrumpften die Konstrukte auf ca. 35–50 % ihrer Ausgangsgröße zusammen. Der Grund für diesen beschleunigten Abbau ist unbekannt, jedoch ist am ehesten eine ausgeprägte Produktion von MMP durch die beiden Zellarten anzunehmen, sobald diese in Kombination vorliegen.
Insgesamt lässt sich sagen, dass die Methoden zur Zell- und Gewebecharakterisierung, welche in dieser Studie benutzt wurden (histochemische Färbungen, Fluoreszenzfärbung und Elektronenmikroskopie) sowohl für mit RECs als auch mit Chondrozyten hergestellte Konstrukte für die vorliegende Arbeit als auch zukünftige Studien als geeignet anzusehen sind. Diese Studie hat in vielerlei Hinsicht erfolgreich das Tissue Engineering einer Luftröhre untersuchen können, indem sie im Detail aufzeigt, wie RECs und Chondrozyten auf Biomaterialien kultiviert und für das Tissue Engineering eingesetzt werden können. Trotzdem kann diese Arbeit kein einsetzbares Ersatzmaterial als Endprodukt liefern. Der Hauptgrund für dieses Ergebnis ist in erster Linie in dem schnellen Abbau des Biovlieses als Trägermaterial zu sehen
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