Academic literature on the topic 'Synthetic Active Matter'

Active and responsible citizens form or join and sustain functional groups in which they ask the fundamental civic question: What should we do? In these groups, they characteristically face problems of collective action (such as free-riding), of discourse (e.g., propaganda and ideology), and of exclusion. Elinor Ostrom and the Bloomington School of political economy demonstrate that collective-action problems can be solved and suggest “design principles” that increase the odds of success. Jürgen Habermas argues that people can deliberate; experiments with deliberative democracy offer insights about what makes these conversations go well. Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. offer models of nonviolent social movements that indicate how to address problems of exclusion. Good civic action requires insights from these three traditions of theory and practice. This book concludes with a synthesis of the three traditions that also addresses the challenge of scale: how to preserve intentional, ethical, collective action when millions or billions of people are involved. The Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955–1956 and the current Black Lives Matter movement provide detailed examples. This book also proposes an alternative approach to political theory that focuses on individuals in voluntary groups rather than governments or whole societies.

How does inanimate matter become transformed into animate matter? Living systems evolve by replication and selection at the molecular level and this chapter considers how to establish a synthetic, minimal system that can support molecular evolution and thus life. Molecular evolution cannot be explained by starting with high concentrations of activated chemicals that react toward their chemical equilibrium; persistent non-equilibria are required to maintain continuous reactivity and we especially consider thermal gradients as an early driving force for Darwinian molecular evolution. The temperature difference across water-filled compartments implements a laminar fluid convection with periodic temperature oscillations that allow for the melting and replication of DNA. Simultaneously, dissolved molecules are moved along the thermal gradient by an effect called thermophoresis. The combined result is an efficient molecule trap that exponentially favors long over short DNA and thus maintains complexity. Future experiments will reveal how thermal gradients could actively drive the Darwinian process of replication and selection.

The structure of government is fundamentally a matter of multiple alignments of organizations and power involving politics, policy, administration, management, governance, and law. The alignments vary significantly, with numerous conflations of form and function. At the center of power, under immediate executive control and legislative oversight, policy and administration occurs in ministries and departments for which members of the executive are directly responsible. Beyond the center of power, with varying degrees of distance from executive control and legislative oversight, the interplay of policy, administration and management happens in an array of organizations as executive agencies and corporate entities with diffuse executive responsibility. In all alignments, the synthesis of networks and undertaking of reviews are essential, encompassing politics, policy, administration, management, governance, law, and judicial intervention of varying nature and consequence. The situation overall is one of complexity and diversity, requiring acute understanding and strategic action in response to the demands of continuity and change in the conduct of public affairs.

The aim of this book is to cover the scope of Nanophotonics, a discipline that has emerged around the turn of the millennium. It results from the merge of different communities working in different aspects of light-matter interaction at the nanoscale. These include near-field optics and super-resolution microscopy, photonic crystals, diffractive optics, plasmonics, optoelectronics, synthesis of metallic and semiconductor nanoparticles, two-dimensional materials and metamaterials. Our feeling when we started the project was that a book covering most of these aspects altogether was lacking. The field is so rapidly evolving that it is impossible to summarize all the recent breakthroughs. The goal of this book is to provide a self-contained discussion of the fundamentals of the different subfields involved in nanophotonics. The current project is a collaborative project between three researchers that have been actively involved in the field from different communities. Henri Benisty has a background in semiconductor physics and optoelectronics, Jean-Jacques Greffet has a background in near-field optics and light scattering, Philippe Lalanne has a background in diffractive optics and photonic crystals. All of them made significant contributions to the advancement of the field. The book material is based on lectures that have been given by them at the Institut d’Optique Graduate School (Palaiseau, Bordeaux and Saint-Etienne).

The strongest Indian summer monsoon (ISM) on the planet features prolonged clustered spells of wet and dry conditions often lasting for two to three weeks, known as active and break monsoons. The active and break monsoons are attributed to a quasi-periodic intraseasonal oscillation (ISO), which is an extremely important form of the ISM variability bridging weather and climate variation. The ISO over India is part of the ISO in global tropics. The latter is one of the most important meteorological phenomena discovered during the 20th century (Madden & Julian, 1971, 1972). The extreme dry and wet events are regulated by the boreal summer ISO (BSISO). The BSISO over Indian monsoon region consists of northward propagating 30–60 day and westward propagating 10–20 day modes. The “clustering” of synoptic activity was separately modulated by both the 30–60 day and 10–20 day BSISO modes in approximately equal amounts. The clustering is particularly strong when the enhancement effect from both modes acts in concert. The northward propagation of BSISO is primarily originated from the easterly vertical shear (increasing easterly winds with height) of the monsoon flows, which by interacting with the BSISO convective system can generate boundary layer convergence to the north of the convective system that promotes its northward movement. The BSISO-ocean interaction through wind-evaporation feedback and cloud-radiation feedback can also contribute to the northward propagation of BSISO from the equator. The 10–20 day oscillation is primarily produced by convectively coupled Rossby waves modified by the monsoon mean flows. Using coupled general circulation models (GCMs) for ISO prediction is an important advance in subseasonal forecasts. The major modes of ISO over Indian monsoon region are potentially predictable up to 40–45 days as estimated by multiple GCM ensemble hindcast experiments. The current dynamical models’ prediction skills for the large initial amplitude cases are approximately 20–25 days, but the prediction of developing BSISO disturbance is much more difficult than the prediction of the mature BSISO disturbances. This article provides a synthesis of our current knowledge on the observed spatial and temporal structure of the ISO over India and the important physical processes through which the BSISO regulates the ISM active-break cycles and severe weather events. Our present capability and shortcomings in simulating and predicting the monsoon ISO and outstanding issues are also discussed.

Bones are multifunctional passive organs of movement that supports soft tissue and directly attached muscles. They also protect internal organs and are a reserve of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. Each bone is covered with periosteum, and the adjacent bone surfaces are covered by articular cartilage. Histologically, the bone is an organ composed of many different tissues. The main component is bone tissue (cortical and spongy) composed of a set of bone cells and intercellular substance (mineral and organic), it also contains fat, hematopoietic (bone marrow) and cartilaginous tissue. Bones are a tissue that even in adult life retains the ability to change shape and structure depending on changes in their mechanical and hormonal environment, as well as self-renewal and repair capabilities. This process is called bone turnover. The basic processes of bone turnover are: • bone modeling (incessantly changes in bone shape during individual growth) following resorption and tissue formation at various locations (e.g. bone marrow formation) to increase mass and skeletal morphology. This process occurs in the bones of growing individuals and stops after reaching puberty • bone remodeling (processes involve in maintaining bone tissue by resorbing and replacing old bone tissue with new tissue in the same place, e.g. repairing micro fractures). It is a process involving the removal and internal remodeling of existing bone and is responsible for maintaining tissue mass and architecture of mature bones. Bone turnover is regulated by two types of transformation: • osteoclastogenesis, i.e. formation of cells responsible for bone resorption • osteoblastogenesis, i.e. formation of cells responsible for bone formation (bone matrix synthesis and mineralization) Bone maturity can be defined as the completion of basic structural development and mineralization leading to maximum mass and optimal mechanical strength. The highest rate of increase in pig bone mass is observed in the first twelve weeks after birth. This period of growth is considered crucial for optimizing the growth of the skeleton of pigs, because the degree of bone mineralization in later life stages (adulthood) depends largely on the amount of bone minerals accumulated in the early stages of their growth. The development of the technique allows to determine the condition of the skeletal system (or individual bones) in living animals by methods used in human medicine, or after their slaughter. For in vivo determination of bone properties, Abstract 10 double energy X-ray absorptiometry or computed tomography scanning techniques are used. Both methods allow the quantification of mineral content and bone mineral density. The most important property from a practical point of view is the bone’s bending strength, which is directly determined by the maximum bending force. The most important factors affecting bone strength are: • age (growth period), • gender and the associated hormonal balance, • genotype and modification of genes responsible for bone growth • chemical composition of the body (protein and fat content, and the proportion between these components), • physical activity and related bone load, • nutritional factors: – protein intake influencing synthesis of organic matrix of bone, – content of minerals in the feed (CA, P, Zn, Ca/P, Mg, Mn, Na, Cl, K, Cu ratio) influencing synthesis of the inorganic matrix of bone, – mineral/protein ratio in the diet (Ca/protein, P/protein, Zn/protein) – feed energy concentration, – energy source (content of saturated fatty acids - SFA, content of polyun saturated fatty acids - PUFA, in particular ALA, EPA, DPA, DHA), – feed additives, in particular: enzymes (e.g. phytase releasing of minerals bounded in phytin complexes), probiotics and prebiotics (e.g. inulin improving the function of the digestive tract by increasing absorption of nutrients), – vitamin content that regulate metabolism and biochemical changes occurring in bone tissue (e.g. vitamin D3, B6, C and K). This study was based on the results of research experiments from available literature, and studies on growing pigs carried out at the Kielanowski Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition, Polish Academy of Sciences. The tests were performed in total on 300 pigs of Duroc, Pietrain, Puławska breeds, line 990 and hybrids (Great White × Duroc, Great White × Landrace), PIC pigs, slaughtered at different body weight during the growth period from 15 to 130 kg. Bones for biomechanical tests were collected after slaughter from each pig. Their length, mass and volume were determined. Based on these measurements, the specific weight (density, g/cm3) was calculated. Then each bone was cut in the middle of the shaft and the outer and inner diameters were measured both horizontally and vertically. Based on these measurements, the following indicators were calculated: • cortical thickness, • cortical surface, • cortical index. Abstract 11 Bone strength was tested by a three-point bending test. The obtained data enabled the determination of: • bending force (the magnitude of the maximum force at which disintegration and disruption of bone structure occurs), • strength (the amount of maximum force needed to break/crack of bone), • stiffness (quotient of the force acting on the bone and the amount of displacement occurring under the influence of this force). Investigation of changes in physical and biomechanical features of bones during growth was performed on pigs of the synthetic 990 line growing from 15 to 130 kg body weight. The animals were slaughtered successively at a body weight of 15, 30, 40, 50, 70, 90, 110 and 130 kg. After slaughter, the following bones were separated from the right half-carcass: humerus, 3rd and 4th metatarsal bone, femur, tibia and fibula as well as 3rd and 4th metatarsal bone. The features of bones were determined using methods described in the methodology. Describing bone growth with the Gompertz equation, it was found that the earliest slowdown of bone growth curve was observed for metacarpal and metatarsal bones. This means that these bones matured the most quickly. The established data also indicate that the rib is the slowest maturing bone. The femur, humerus, tibia and fibula were between the values of these features for the metatarsal, metacarpal and rib bones. The rate of increase in bone mass and length differed significantly between the examined bones, but in all cases it was lower (coefficient b <1) than the growth rate of the whole body of the animal. The fastest growth rate was estimated for the rib mass (coefficient b = 0.93). Among the long bones, the humerus (coefficient b = 0.81) was characterized by the fastest rate of weight gain, however femur the smallest (coefficient b = 0.71). The lowest rate of bone mass increase was observed in the foot bones, with the metacarpal bones having a slightly higher value of coefficient b than the metatarsal bones (0.67 vs 0.62). The third bone had a lower growth rate than the fourth bone, regardless of whether they were metatarsal or metacarpal. The value of the bending force increased as the animals grew. Regardless of the growth point tested, the highest values were observed for the humerus, tibia and femur, smaller for the metatarsal and metacarpal bone, and the lowest for the fibula and rib. The rate of change in the value of this indicator increased at a similar rate as the body weight changes of the animals in the case of the fibula and the fourth metacarpal bone (b value = 0.98), and more slowly in the case of the metatarsal bone, the third metacarpal bone, and the tibia bone (values of the b ratio 0.81–0.85), and the slowest femur, humerus and rib (value of b = 0.60–0.66). Bone stiffness increased as animals grew. Regardless of the growth point tested, the highest values were observed for the humerus, tibia and femur, smaller for the metatarsal and metacarpal bone, and the lowest for the fibula and rib. Abstract 12 The rate of change in the value of this indicator changed at a faster rate than the increase in weight of pigs in the case of metacarpal and metatarsal bones (coefficient b = 1.01–1.22), slightly slower in the case of fibula (coefficient b = 0.92), definitely slower in the case of the tibia (b = 0.73), ribs (b = 0.66), femur (b = 0.59) and humerus (b = 0.50). Bone strength increased as animals grew. Regardless of the growth point tested, bone strength was as follows femur > tibia > humerus > 4 metacarpal> 3 metacarpal> 3 metatarsal > 4 metatarsal > rib> fibula. The rate of increase in strength of all examined bones was greater than the rate of weight gain of pigs (value of the coefficient b = 2.04–3.26). As the animals grew, the bone density increased. However, the growth rate of this indicator for the majority of bones was slower than the rate of weight gain (the value of the coefficient b ranged from 0.37 – humerus to 0.84 – fibula). The exception was the rib, whose density increased at a similar pace increasing the body weight of animals (value of the coefficient b = 0.97). The study on the influence of the breed and the feeding intensity on bone characteristics (physical and biomechanical) was performed on pigs of the breeds Duroc, Pietrain, and synthetic 990 during a growth period of 15 to 70 kg body weight. Animals were fed ad libitum or dosed system. After slaughter at a body weight of 70 kg, three bones were taken from the right half-carcass: femur, three metatarsal, and three metacarpal and subjected to the determinations described in the methodology. The weight of bones of animals fed aa libitum was significantly lower than in pigs fed restrictively All bones of Duroc breed were significantly heavier and longer than Pietrain and 990 pig bones. The average values of bending force for the examined bones took the following order: III metatarsal bone (63.5 kg) <III metacarpal bone (77.9 kg) <femur (271.5 kg). The feeding system and breed of pigs had no significant effect on the value of this indicator. The average values of the bones strength took the following order: III metatarsal bone (92.6 kg) <III metacarpal (107.2 kg) <femur (353.1 kg). Feeding intensity and breed of animals had no significant effect on the value of this feature of the bones tested. The average bone density took the following order: femur (1.23 g/cm3) <III metatarsal bone (1.26 g/cm3) <III metacarpal bone (1.34 g / cm3). The density of bones of animals fed aa libitum was higher (P<0.01) than in animals fed with a dosing system. The density of examined bones within the breeds took the following order: Pietrain race> line 990> Duroc race. The differences between the “extreme” breeds were: 7.2% (III metatarsal bone), 8.3% (III metacarpal bone), 8.4% (femur). Abstract 13 The average bone stiffness took the following order: III metatarsal bone (35.1 kg/mm) <III metacarpus (41.5 kg/mm) <femur (60.5 kg/mm). This indicator did not differ between the groups of pigs fed at different intensity, except for the metacarpal bone, which was more stiffer in pigs fed aa libitum (P<0.05). The femur of animals fed ad libitum showed a tendency (P<0.09) to be more stiffer and a force of 4.5 kg required for its displacement by 1 mm. Breed differences in stiffness were found for the femur (P <0.05) and III metacarpal bone (P <0.05). For femur, the highest value of this indicator was found in Pietrain pigs (64.5 kg/mm), lower in pigs of 990 line (61.6 kg/mm) and the lowest in Duroc pigs (55.3 kg/mm). In turn, the 3rd metacarpal bone of Duroc and Pietrain pigs had similar stiffness (39.0 and 40.0 kg/mm respectively) and was smaller than that of line 990 pigs (45.4 kg/mm). The thickness of the cortical bone layer took the following order: III metatarsal bone (2.25 mm) <III metacarpal bone (2.41 mm) <femur (5.12 mm). The feeding system did not affect this indicator. Breed differences (P <0.05) for this trait were found only for the femur bone: Duroc (5.42 mm)> line 990 (5.13 mm)> Pietrain (4.81 mm). The cross sectional area of the examined bones was arranged in the following order: III metatarsal bone (84 mm2) <III metacarpal bone (90 mm2) <femur (286 mm2). The feeding system had no effect on the value of this bone trait, with the exception of the femur, which in animals fed the dosing system was 4.7% higher (P<0.05) than in pigs fed ad libitum. Breed differences (P<0.01) in the coross sectional area were found only in femur and III metatarsal bone. The value of this indicator was the highest in Duroc pigs, lower in 990 animals and the lowest in Pietrain pigs. The cortical index of individual bones was in the following order: III metatarsal bone (31.86) <III metacarpal bone (33.86) <femur (44.75). However, its value did not significantly depend on the intensity of feeding or the breed of pigs.

AbstractWe present new results on the application of semantic- and knowledge-based reasoning techniques to the analysis of cloud deployments. In particular, to the security of Infrastructure as Code configuration files, encoded as description logic knowledge bases. We introduce an action language to model mutating actions; that is, actions that change the structural configuration of a given deployment by adding, modifying, or deleting resources. We mainly focus on two problems: the problem of determining whether the execution of an action, no matter the parameters passed to it, will not cause the violation of some security requirement (static verification), and the problem of finding sequences of actions that would lead the deployment to a state where (un)desirable properties are (not) satisfied (plan existence and plan synthesis). For all these problems, we provide definitions, complexity results, and decision procedures.

The prospects of using A2 cow's milk in the production of dairy products were considered and analyzed. The object of research is the method of enriching A2 milk and the technology of hard cheeses made from raw milk from cows with different β-casein genotypes (A1A1, A1A2, A2A2). When digesting A2 milk, β-casomorphin-7 is not formed, which negatively affects the physiology of the gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular, nervous and endocrine systems. It is recommended to use milk to which biologically active substances have been added, therefore the issue of its enrichment is relevant. In industrial conditions, artificial vitamin and mineral complexes are used to enrich milk. Taking into account that natural and synthetic substances act differently on the human body, it is proposed to use processed derivatives of carrots (Daucus carota) as a natural food additive. The use of carrot powders improves the amino acid spectrum of milk. The mass concentration of amino acids in A2 milk enriched with carrot peel powder was 4.87 g/100 g. The highest concentration, g/100g, of glutamic acid (0.84), proline (0.50), aspartic acid (0.42), leucine (0.41), valine (0.35) was found. It was established that the consumption of 200 g of such milk provides the daily needs of the body in essential amino acids: threonine, leucine and phenylalanine (by 16 %), methionine (by 4 %), isoleucine (by 14 %), lysine (by 18 %), valine (by 20 %). It was established that A2 milk, enriched with powder from whole carrot roots, has a higher content of carotenoids (0.1068 mg/100 ml), providing the body's need for them by 1.4 %. Such milk can be an additional source of vitamin A produced in the human body. It is recommended to use powder from whole carrot roots for the enrichment of A2 milk in industrial conditions. Physico-chemical indicators and cheeseability of milk of cows with different genotypes were studied. The content of fat, protein and solids in the milk of cows with the β-casein genotype A2A2 were slightly higher compared to A1A1 and A1A2. A comprehensive study of the quality indicators of hard cheese samples showed that the type of β-casein did not affect the sensory characteristics of the cheese. However, according to the content of the main chemical components, cheeses made from A1A2 milk had a higher content of dry matter and protein (on average, 61.6 % and 19.2 %, respectively) and a lower content of fat (37.2 %). The amino acid profile of cheese from the milk of cows with the β-casein A1A2 and A2A2 genotype showed a higher total content of amino acids – 14.89 mg/g and 13.84 mg/g, respectively. Calculations of cheese yield showed that cheese yield from milk of cows with β-casein genotype A1A2 was higher (mean value 13.1 %) than with A1A1 and A2A2. The obtained results are of practical importance, since it is possible to take into account how changes in the β-casein genotype in raw milk can affect the yield of cheese and, therefore, the profitability of production.

Over the past decades, active matter systems have attracted the attention of scientists from different areas, including physics, engineering, biology, and the human sciences. These systems involve agents that convert some type of energy into directed motion. Examples range from swimming microorganisms to crawling cells to synthetic active colloids. A striking feature of active materials is that they are strongly driven out of equilibrium and therefore display a variety of unusual phenomena at the single as well as collective level, which differ drastically from their passive counterparts. In this preface, we provide an overview of the main avenues of research in active matter and bring together the topics addressed in our book. We conclude by discussing future research directions in this rapidly-evolving, interdisciplinary research field.

The ability of many living systems to actively self-propel underlies critical biomedical, environmental, and industrial processes. While such active transport is well-studied in uniform settings, environmental complexities such as geometric constraints, mechanical cues, and external stimuli such as chemical gradients and fluid flow can strongly influence transport. In this chapter, we describe recent progress in the study of active transport in such complex environments, focusing on two prominent biological systems—bacteria and eukaryotic cells—as archetypes of active matter. We review research findings highlighting how environmental factors can fundamentally alter cellular motility, hindering or promoting active transport in unexpected ways, and giving rise to fascinating behaviors such as directed migration and large-scale clustering. In parallel, we describe specific open questions and promising avenues for future research. Furthermore, given the diverse forms of active matter—ranging from enzymes and driven biopolymer assemblies, to microorganisms and synthetic microswimmers, to larger animals and even robots—we also describe connections to other active systems as well as more general theoretical/computational models of transport processes in complex environments.

From cytoskeletal macromolecules and micron-sized bacteria to giant fish swarms, active-matter systems occur on all scales throughout nature. These systems are internally driven out of equilibrium and therefore allow for the emergence of a plethora of complex phenomena that are essential for life. In this chapter, we illustrate the unique power of computer simulations to provide a quantitative understanding of active matter. First, basic active-matter model systems are described, including biological and synthetic self-propelled objects, where the driving mechanism is modeled on different levels of abstraction. Second, focusing on bacterial motion, we will discuss the role of hydrodynamic interactions for collective swimming and the role of activity for the rheology of dense bacterial colonies. Third, we will provide examples of active agents that are coupled together by interacting with deformable manifolds such as filaments and membranes. This leads to diverse non-equilibrium shapes, deformations, and motility modes. Finally, some results of simulations of active gels, multicellular growing structures and artificial phoretic swimmers are shown, illustrating the extraordinary diversity of computational active-matter systems.

Segmentation is a key step in brain imaging where clustering techniques are widely used, particularly the fuzzy approach which offers active and robust methods against noise and partial volume effect (PVE). To address those imperfections, this article suggests an automatic segmentation of brain tissues for magnetic resonance and functional images of Alzheimer's patients, based on an efficient and robust genetic-fuzzy-possibilistic clustering scheme for the assessment of white matter, gray matter and cerebrospinal fluid volumes. The proposed hybrid clustering process based on: 1) A fuzzy possibilistic c-means algorithm that models the degree of relationship between each voxel and a given tissue. 2) A fuzzy c-means algorithm to initialize the clusters centers, with subsequent optimization by a genetic algorithm. Each stage of the proposed clustering process is validated on real brain data and synthetic images of an Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) phantom. A performance comparison is made with the usual fuzzy techniques. The visual and quantitative results obtained with the proposed approach using various signal-to-noise ratios prove its effectiveness to quantify the tissue volume of images of different modalities types in the presence of noise and PVE. The effectiveness in terms of computational rate is also demonstrated.

This chapter asks how a precisely articulated set of practices, defined by artists in the 1960s as Conceptual Art, evolve into a broad notion of conceptualism, and how the latter had expanded into its present forms. It shows how, in the United States context, some of the most important strategies of conceptualism developed through the influence of contemporaneous politics, more specifically the transition from Civil Rights into Black Power, the New Left, the anti-war movement, feminism, and gay liberation, as well as what later came to be collectively named “identity politics” in the 1970s. A range of artists who have self-defined as conceptualists synthesised Conceptual analytic approaches with an outlook on identity formation as a means of political agency, and not as a representation of the self, a strategy that significantly expanded in the 1970s. Two major aspects of identity politics have impacted the field. The first, activist and administrative, consisted of protests against existing institutions, the developments of action groups and collectives, and the subsequent formulation of alternative spaces. The second was the bearing that it had on artistic strategy, form, and subject matter. This chapter focuses on practices that took a critical outlook on identity formation.

The development of synthetic active matter requires the ability to rationally design materials capable of harnessing energy from a source to carry out work. Nature achieves this using metabolic cycles in which energy released from an exergonic chemical reaction, e.g. ATP hydrolysis, is used to drive endergonic biochemical processes. Extensive theoretical and experimental studies on synthetic molecular machinery have demonstrated that energy and information ratchet mechanisms play an essential role in transferring energy from the energy source to the system. Recently, it has been understood that these mechanisms can also be exploited for the development of active matter [5, 6]. Here, we report our progress made on the use of energy and information ratchet mechanisms for the synthesis of high-energy molecular structures.

The Opak Fault (OF) system is the most widely known active fault system in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. This active fault system became increasingly recognized especially after the 2006 Yogyakarta earthquake. Although the 2006 Yogyakarta earthquake caused a lot of damage and casualties, seismogenic fault responsible for the event is still a matter of debate. GNSS-based observation studies suggested that the 2006 event occurred along the OF. However, seismic-based observation studies showed that this event might occurred several kilometers to the east of the OF. A better understanding of the active seismogenic fault is important to assess geohazards in the region. In this paper, Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) data from Sentinel-1 satellite, which has a wavelength of 5.6 cm and operates in Terrain Observation by Progressive Scan (TOPS) mode, was used to image deformation rates of the OF. The result showed that there is a significant surface deformation along the OF. This surface deformation could be driven by postseismic effect following the 2006 Yogyakarta earthquake or the aseismic creep. Displacement discontinuity, which indicates the location of the OF, could be recognized using InSAR technique. These finding confirm the capability of SAR observation in providing high spatial resolution of surface deformation data.

Abstract The contemporary landscape of the 21st-century pipeline industry is marked by continual technological progress such as high-resolution in-line inspection (ILI) and advanced monitoring systems. This paper elucidates the successful integration and application of cutting-edge technology for the identification and management of a pipeline situated within an active subsidence area. The term “subsidence” herein refers to ground sinking resultant from the expansion of subsurface cavities until surface level indications are seen. This phenomenon could be a result of pumping, fracking, and mining, including improper well completion practices. This case study specifically delves into the utilization of different periodic and continuous monitoring techniques to address an active subsidence threat. The monitoring included satellite Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) techniques for subsidence measurement, where periodic satellite images are superimposed to reveal surface motion or deformation over time. Beyond conventional InSAR data collection, the operator implemented strain gages and subsidence prisms on the pipeline segment exposed to earth movement. This data, in conjunction with inertial mapping unit (IMU) bending strain analysis, enables real-time monitoring of bending (vertical and horizontal) and membrane strain components on the pipeline. The incorporation of a high strain trigger alarm serves to promptly notify the operator of potential issues. The continuous data integration process aims to comprehensively understand and manage the subsidence threat by gathering diverse stakeholders at regular intervals to interpret and discuss the latest monitoring results. The proactive approach of the operator extends further into the realm of threat probability mapping solutions, demonstrating a creative and innovative methodology. This led to the strategic design of a pipeline reroute, diverting it away from the subsidence area and ensuring the sustained long-term operation of the pipeline. The complexity of this process necessitates a series of analyses and discussions among subject matter experts (SMEs), reflecting a meticulous and innovative approach. The success of this endeavor not only secures the short-term integrity of the pipeline but also sets a precedent for long term identification and management of emerging threats within the industry. This study underscores the transformative power of integrating advanced technologies and creative problem-solving strategies in addressing and mitigating challenges in pipeline risk management.

Abstract Mature pipeline geohazard management programs assess information related to ground movement hazards, such as landslides or subsidence, in conjunction with the condition of the pipeline (vulnerability). This enables the development of site-specific risk rankings and intervention strategies along extensive networks of pipeline infrastructure. As technology and software tools have evolved, pipeline operators are better able to leverage spatial data from a variety of ground observations and remote-sensing data for an improved understanding of the hazard. Remote sensing data can be used to identify potential geohazard features, monitor known geohazard sites, and assess the rate of ground displacement. When combined with geotechnical subject matter expert (SME) knowledge of ground conditions, gained through desktop assessments, field inspections, and analysis of in-line inspection tool data for example, remote sensing data can inform the prioritization of next actions. In recent years, there has been a notable increase in the adoption of interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) data to support geohazard identification and monitoring. Consequently, numerous pipeline operators are actively seeking enhanced methodologies to leverage this data for risk-informed decision-making. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of InSAR considerations and limitations and explores how the data can be integrated into geohazard management programs. We also delve into the potential to correlate InSAR observations with site-specific risk classifications to determine the timing of operational actions and possible interventions.

Modern homes, filled with plastics and foams, can spiral rapidly into flashover within minutes, blocking safe escape and placing the lives of you and your loved ones in peril. The quest to make our homes more comfortable has inadvertently introduced fire risks – synthetic furnishings and furniture, open plan designs, and lightweight construction all helping to stoke the rapid development of a modern home fire. Thanks to significantly increased fuel loads, our modern homes burn at a fierce pace, a stark contrast to the double-brick-and-hardwood-timber constructions of previous generations. The result is that people now have as little as two to three minutes to escape a burning building safely, before their lives are critically threatened by heat and smoke. Each year in Australia there are around 64 preventable fire fatalities – a ‘diffused disaster’ of one here, another there, maybe more than one, or a family. And yet there is a tried, tested, and trusted solution: automatic home fire sprinkler systems. Unlike smoke alarms, which can only warn of danger, home fire sprinklers actively fight the fire. Each unobtrusive concealed sprinkler head in a residential system can sense a tell-tale rise in temperature, releasing a spray of water that directly tackles the fire at its point of ignition – and quickly. Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition Australia (HFSCA) is leading a funded research program to develop a safe, reliable, cost-effective and fit-for-purpose home sprinkler system designed for Australian Class 1 homes. By tapping into the expertise within respected industry, fire engineering and research partners, HFSCA is developing the compelling case for the National Construction Code to mandate fire sprinklers in new Class 1 builds.

Several key differentiation events occur within the recognizable MK compartment; however, little is known about the macromolecular changes responsible for these events. In this study, protein synthesis profiles of morphologically immature and mature guinea pig MK populations have been analyzed by twodimensional gel electrophoresis after in vivo labeling with 35S-methionine. MK were enriched by a bovine plasma aggregation enrichment procedure (Blood 69:173, 1987) and then fractionated into immature and mature populations based on differences in their respective buoyant densities (Brit. J. Haematol. 64:33, 1986). With this protocol, immature and mature MK populations were obtained in which MK constituted 95% of the cell mass. Ninety percent of the MK in the immature population had basophilic, immature morphology while ≥90% of those in the mature population had acidophilic, mature staining characteristics after Wright's staining. Protease inhibitors were used throughout the isolation procedure. The cells were solubilized and proteins subjected to two-dimensional electrophoresis according to O'Farrell (J. Biol. Chem. 250:4007, 1975). To examine basic proteins, proteins were electrophoresed in the first dimension under nonequilibrium conditions in a pH gradient as described by O'Farrell et al. (Cell 12:1133, 1977). Analyses of fluorograms revealed both qualitative and quantitative differences in synthesis profiles between these two MK populations. Among acidic proteins whose synthesis was readily detected in immature but not mature MK were ones whose MW and pi were respectively: 120K, 6.4; 7OK, 5.9; 70K, 6.9; 65K, 6.8; 55K, 6.2; 55K, 6.0; 53K, 5.8; 53K, 6.5; 52K, 6.7; 50K, 6.8; 41K, 5.5 and 33K, 6.7. Acidic and neutral proteins prominently synthesized in mature but not immature MK were found at MW and PI of: 110K, 5.7; 110K, 5.8 and 80K, 7.2. Basic proteins prominently synthesized in immature but not mature MK were found at MWs of: 110K; 70K; 52K; 48K; 39K and 18K. Basic proteins actively synthesized by mature but not immature MK had MWs of: 83K; 43K and 17K. These findings demonstrate that differences in protein synthesis patterns can be readily detected between immature and mature MK and provide baseline data with which to explore the role of these proteins in MK differentiation

We propose a sulfur-resistant process in which a gaseous or liquid carbonaceous matter is converted into the Synthesis Gas in a presence of high-voltage cold-plasma (“GlidArc”) that assists the exothermal Partial Oxidation. This process is performed in our 0.6 to 2-Liter reactors using atmospheric air. The reactants are mixed at the reactor entry without use of vaporizers or nozzles. Our process is initiated in the discharges’ zone in presence of active electrons, ions, and radicals generated directly in the entering mixture. Then the partially reacted steam enters a post-plasma zone of the same reactor. This zone is filled with a metallic and/or mineral material. We found several solids that present some catalytic properties enhanced by high temperatures and active species generated in the cold plasma. Atmospheric pressure reforming is presently studied. This paper recalls our earlier tests with natural gas, propane, cyclohexane, heptane, toluene, various gasolines, diesel oils (including logistic ones), and the Rapeseed oil. New experiments are then presented on the reforming of heavy naphtha and an aviation fuel. The synthesis gas issued from the last one has been successfully converted into electric energy in an on-line inserted Solid Oxide fuel Cell. All tested feeds are totally reformed into Hydrogen, Carbon Monoxide and some Methane. Other components are Steam and Carbon Dioxide. All these products are diluted in Nitrogen coming from the air. No soot, coke or tars are produced even from highly aromatic liquids. The output Synthesis Gas power issued as the result of our tests can presently reach 11 kW (accounted as the Lower Heating Value of produced H2 + CO stream). Only 0.05–0.2 kW of electric power is necessary to drive such cold-plasma-assisted reformer. Up to 45 vol.% of H2 + CO mixture (dry basis) is produced in long runs. We obtain a better than 70% thermal efficiency of the process (defined as the output combustion enthalpy of H2 + CO at 25°C concerning the Lower Heating Value of the feed). However a large part of remaining percentage of the energy leaving the reformer (the sensitive heat and CH4 at 2–3 vol.% level) can be further reused in the high-temperature Fuel Cells.

To address the global fuel challenges of energy security, economic sustainability and climate change the stakeholders of aviation industry are actively pursuing the development and qualification of alternative ‘drop-in’ fuels. New standards will be required to regulate the use of these new fuels, which requires not only fuel specification and rig/engine and flight testing but also an emission life cycle impact assessment of these fuels. This paper reports on emission data measured at various simulated altitudes and engine speeds from a jet engine operated on conventional and alternative aviation fuels. The work was conducted as part of on-going efforts by departments within the Government of Canada to systematically assess regulated as well as non-regulated emissions from the use of alternative aviation fuels. The measurements were performed on an instrumented 1000 N-thrust turbojet engine using a baseline conventional Jet A-1 fuel and a semi-synthetic (50/50) blend with Camelina based Hydroprocessed Renewable Jet (JP8-HRJ8) fuel. Emission results reported here include carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter measured at several simulated altitudes and power settings. In order to ensure that the assessments have a common baseline, relevant engine performance and operability data were also recorded.

The overall objective of the research project was to utilize biochemical insights together with both classical and molecular genetic strategies to improve tomato starch accumulation. The proposal was based on the observation that the transient starch accumulation in the immature fruit serves as a reservoir for carbohydrate and soluble sugar content in the mature fruit, thereby impacting on fruit quality. The general objectives were to optimize AGPase function and activity in developing fruit in order to increase its transient starch levels. The specific research objectives were to: a) perform directed molecular evolution of the limiting enzyme of starch synthesis, AGPase, focussing on the interaction of its regulatory and catalytic subunits; b) determine the mode of action of the recently identified allelic variant for the regulatory subunit in tomato fruit that leads to increased AGPase activity and hence starch content. During the course of the research project major advances were made in understanding the interaction of the small and large subunits of AGPase, in particular the regulatory roles of the different large subunits, in determining starch synthesis. The research was performed using various experimental systems, including bacteria and Arabidopsis, potato and tomato, allowing for broad and meaningful conclusions to be drawn. A novel discovery was that one of the large subunits of tomato AGPase is functional as a monomer. A dozen publications describing the research were published in leading biochemical and horticultural journals. The research results clearly indicated that increasing AGPase activity temporally in the developing fruit increase the starch reservoir and, subsequently, the fruit sugar content. This was shown by a comparison of the carbohydrate balance in near-isogenic tomato lines differing in a gene encoding for the fruit-specific large subunit (LS1). The research also revealed that the increase in AGPase activity is due to a temporal extension of LS1 gene expression in the developing fruit which in turn stabilizes the limiting heterotetrameric enzyme, leading to sustained starch synthesis. This genetic variation can successfully be utilized in the breeding of high quality tomatoes.

Plant vascular tissues are superhighways whose development and function have profound implications for productivity, yield and stress response. Preliminary studies by the PI indicated that sugar metabolism mediated by fructokinases (FRKs) has a pronounced effect on the transport properties of the xylem. The goal of this research was to determine how the main fructokinase gene, FRK2, and the only plastidic fructokinase, FRK3, influence vascular development and physiology, emphasizing processes that occur at both the cellular and organismic level. We found that both genes are expressed in vascular tissues, but FRK3 is expressed primarily in vascular tissues of mature petioles. Vascular anatomy of plants with antisense suppression of FRK2 uncovered that FRK2 is necessary for xylem and phloem development, most likely due to its role in vascular cell-wall synthesis, and affects vascular development all over the plant. As a result, suppression of FRK2 reduced hydraulic conductivity of roots, stem and leaves and restricted sugar phloem transport. Vascular anatomy of plants with RNAi suppression of FRK3 uncovered that FRK3 is required for vascular development in mature petiole but its role is partially complemented by FRK2. Suppression of FRK3 combined with partial suppression of FRK2 had effects completely different from that of FRK2 suppression, resulting in wilting of mature leaves rather than young leaves of FRK2 suppressed plants, and decreased export of photoassimilates. This primary effect of FRK2 suppression on mature petioles had a secondary effect, reducing the hydraulic conductivity in roots and stem. The very fact that a plastidic fructokinase plays a role in vascular development is quite surprising and we are still seeking to uncover its metabolic mode-of-action. Yet, it is clear that these two fructokinases have different roles in the coordination between photosynthetic capacity and vascular development. We have started analyzing the role of the last third FRK, FRK1, and discovered that it is also expressed exclusively in vascular tissues. It appears therefore, that all FRKs studied here are involved in vascular development. An interesting unexpected outcome of this study was the connection of FRK2 with hormonal regulation of vascular development, most likely auxin. This observation together with the yet to be solved questions on the exact roles of FRK3 are the subjects of our current efforts.

Both the genes and cDNA sequences encoding the b-subunits of black carp LH and FSH were isolated, cloned and sequenced. Sequence analysis of the bcFSHb and LHb5'flanking regions revealed that the promoter region of both genes contains canonical TATA sequences, 30 bp and 17 bp upstream of the transcription start site of FSHb and LHb genes, respectively. In addition, they include several sequences of cis-acting motifs, required for inducible and tissue-specific transcriptional regulation: the gonadotropin-specific element (GSE), GnRH responsive element (GRE), half sites of estrogen and androgen response elements, cAMP response element, and AP1. Several methods have been employed by the Israeli team to purify the recombinant b subunits (EtOH precipitation, gel filtration and lentil lectin). While the final objective to produce pure recombinantGtH subunits has not yet been achieved, we have covered much ground towards this goal. The black carp ovary showed a gradual increase in both mass and oocyte diameter. First postvitellogenic oocytes were found in 5 yr old fish. At this age, the testes already contained spermatozoa. The circulating LH levels increased from 0.5 ng/ml in 4 yr old fish to >5ng/ml in 5 yr old fish. In vivo challenge experiments in black carp showed the initial LH response of the pituitary to GnRH in 4 yr old fish. The response was further augmented in 5 yr old fish. The increase in estradiol level in response to gonadotropic stimulation was first noted in 4 yr old fish but this response was much stronger in the following year. In vivo experiments on the FSHb and LHb mRNA levels in response to GnRH were carried out on common carp as a model for synchronom spawning cyprinids. These experiments showed the prevalence of FSHP in maturing fish while LHP mRNA was prevalent in mature fish, especially in females. The gonadal fat-pad was found to originate from the retroperitoneal mesoderm and not from the genital ridge, thus differing from that reported in certain amphibians This tissue possibly serves as the major source of sex steroids in the immature black carp. However, such a function is taken over by the developing gonads in 4 yr old fish. In the striped bass, we described the ontogeny of the neuro-endocrine parameters along the brain-pituitary-gonadal axis during the first four years of life, throughout gonadal development and the onset of puberty. We also described the responsiveness of the reproductive axis to long-term hormonal manipulations at various stages of gonadal development. Most males reached complete sexual maturity during the first year of life. Puberty was initiated during the third year of life in most females, but this first reproductive cycle did not lead to the acquisition of full sexual maturity. This finding indicates that more than one reproductive cycle may be required before adulthood is reached. Out of the three native GnRHs present in striped bass, only sbGnRH and cGnRH II increased concomitantly with the progress of gonadal development and the onset of puberty. This finding, together with data on GtH synthesis and release, suggests that while sbGnRH and cGnRH II may be involved in the regulation of puberty in striped bass, these neuropeptides are not limiting factors to the onset of puberty. Plasma LH levels remained low in all fish, suggesting that LH plays only a minor role in early gonadal development. This hypothesis was further supported by the finding that experimentally elevated plasma LH levels did not result in the induction of complete ovarian and testicular development. The acquisition of complete puberty in 4 yr old females was associated with a rise in the mRNA levels of all GtH subunit genes, including a 218-fold increase in the mRNA levels of bFSH. mRNA levels of the a and PLH subunits increased only 11- and 8-fold, respectively. Although data on plasma FSH levels are unavailable, the dramatic increase in bFSH mRNA suggests a pivotal role for this hormone in regulating the onset and completion of puberty in striped bass. The hormonal regulation of the onset of puberty and of GtH synthesis and release was studied by chronic administration of testosterone (T) and/or an analog of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (G). Sustained administration of T+G increased the mRNA levels of the PLH subunit to the values characteristic of sexually mature fish, and also increased the plasma levels of LH. However, these changes did not result in the acceleration of sexual maturation. The mRNA levels of the bFSH subunit were slightly stimulated, but remained about 1/10 of the values characteristic of sexually mature fish. It is concluded that the stimulation of FSH gene expression and release does not lead to the acceleration of sexual maturity, and that the failure to sufficiently stimulate the bFSH subunit gene expression may underlie the inability of the treatments to advance sexual maturity. Consequently, FSH is suggested to be the key hormone to the initiation and completion of puberty in striped bass. Future efforts to induce precocious puberty in striped bass should focus on understanding the regulation of FSH synthesis and release and on developing technologies to induce these processes. Definite formulation of hormonal manipulation to advance puberty in the striped bass and the black carp seems to be premature at this stage. However, the project has already yielded a great number of experimental tools of DNA technology, slow-release systems and endocrine information on the process of puberty. These systems and certain protocols have been already utilized successfully to advance maturation in other fish (e.g. grey mullet) and will form a base for further study on fish puberty.

The overall goal of this project was to elucidate the role of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in soil retention, bioavailability and plant uptake of silver and cerium oxide NPs. The environmental risks of manufactured nanoparticles (NPs) are attracting increasing attention from both industrial and scientific communities. These NPs have shown to be taken-up, translocated and bio- accumulated in plant edible parts. However, very little is known about the behavior of NPs in soil-plant system as affected by dissolved organic matter (DOM). Thus DOM effect on NPs behavior is critical to assessing the environmental fate and risks related to NP exposure. Carbon-based nanomaterials embedded with metal NPs demonstrate a great potential to serve as catalyst and disinfectors. Hence, synthesis of novel carbon-based nanocomposites and testing them in the environmentally relevant conditions (particularly in the DOM presence) is important for their implementation in water purification. Sorption of DOM on Ag-Ag₂S NPs, CeO₂ NPs and synthesized Ag-Fe₃O₄-carbon nanotubebifunctional composite has been studied. High DOM concentration (50mg/L) decreased the adsorptive and catalytic efficiencies of all synthesized NPs. Recyclable Ag-Fe₃O₄-carbon nanotube composite exhibited excellent catalytic and anti-bacterial action, providing complete reduction of common pollutants and inactivating gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria at environmentally relevant DOM concentrations (5-10 mg/L). Our composite material may be suitable for water purification ranging from natural to the industrial waste effluents. We also examined the role of maize (Zeamays L.)-derived root exudates (a form of DOM) and their components on the aggregation and dissolution of CuONPs in the rhizosphere. Root exudates (RE) significantly inhibited the aggregation of CuONPs regardless of ionic strength and electrolyte type. With RE, the critical coagulation concentration of CuONPs in NaCl shifted from 30 to 125 mM and the value in CaCl₂ shifted from 4 to 20 mM. This inhibition was correlated with molecular weight (MW) of RE fractions. Higher MW fraction (> 10 kDa) reduced the aggregation most. RE also significantly promoted the dissolution of CuONPs and lower MW fraction (< 3 kDa) RE mainly contributed to this process. Also, Cu accumulation in plant root tissues was significantly enhanced by RE. This study provides useful insights into the interactions between RE and CuONPs, which is of significance for the safe use of CuONPs-based antimicrobial products in agricultural production. Wheat root exudates (RE) had high reducing ability to convert Ag+ to nAg under light exposure. Photo-induced reduction of Ag+ to nAg in pristine RE was mainly attributed to the 0-3 kDa fraction. Quantification of the silver species change over time suggested that Cl⁻ played an important role in photoconversion of Ag+ to nAg through the formation and redox cycling of photoreactiveAgCl. Potential electron donors for the photoreduction of Ag+ were identified to be reducing sugars and organic acids of low MW. Meanwhile, the stabilization of the formed particles was controlled by both low (0-3 kDa) and high (>3 kDa) MW molecules. This work provides new information for the formation mechanism of metal nanoparticles mediated by RE, which may further our understanding of the biogeochemical cycling and toxicity of heavy metal ions in agricultural and environmental systems. Copper sulfide nanoparticles (CuSNPs) at 1:1 and 1:4 ratios of Cu and S were synthesized, and their respective antifungal efficacy was evaluated against the pathogenic activity of Gibberellafujikuroi(Bakanae disease) in rice (Oryza sativa). In a 2-d in vitro study, CuS decreased G. fujikuroiColony- Forming Units (CFU) compared to controls. In a greenhouse study, treating with CuSNPs at 50 mg/L at the seed stage significantly decreased disease incidence on rice while the commercial Cu-based pesticide Kocide 3000 had no impact on disease. Foliar-applied CuONPs and CuS (1:1) NPs decreased disease incidence by 30.0 and 32.5%, respectively, which outperformed CuS (1:4) NPs (15%) and Kocide 3000 (12.5%). CuS (1:4) NPs also modulated the shoot salicylic acid (SA) and Jasmonic acid (JA) production to enhance the plant defense mechanisms against G. fujikuroiinfection. These results are useful for improving the delivery efficiency of agrichemicals via nano-enabled strategies while minimizing their environmental impact, and advance our understanding of the defense mechanisms triggered by the NPs presence in plants.

Citrus is one of the major agricultural crops common to Israel and the United States, important in terms of nutrition, foreign exchange, and employment. The economy of both citrus industries have been chronically plagued by diseases caused by Citrus tristeza virus (CTV). The short term solution until virus-resistant plants can be used is the use of mild strain cross-protection. We are custom designing "ideal" protecting viruses to immunize trees against severe isolates of CTV by purposely inoculating existing endangered trees and new plantings to be propagated as infected (protected) citrus budwood. We crossed the substantial technological hurdles necessary to accomplish this task which included developing an infectious cDNA clone which allows in vitro manipulation of the virus and methods to then infect citrus plants. We created a series of hybrids between decline-inducing and mild CTV strains, tested them in protoplasts, and are amplifying them to inoculate citrus trees for evaluation and mapping of disease determinants. We also extended this developed technology to begin engineering transient expression vectors based on CTV as tools for genetic improvement of tree crops, in this case citrus. Because of the long periods between genetic transformation and the ultimate assay of mature tree characteristics, there is a great need for an effective system that allows the expression or suppression of target genes in fruiting plants. Virus-based vectors will greatly expedite progress in citrus genetic improvement. We characterized several components of the virus that provides necessary information for designing virus-based vectors. We characterized the requirements of the 3 ’-nontranslated replication promoter and two 3 ’-ORF subgenomic (sg) mRNA controller elements. We discovered a novel type of 5’-terminal sgRNAs and characterized the cis-acting control element that also functions as a strong promoter of a 3 ’-sgRNA. We showed that the p23 gene controls negative-stranded RNA synthesis and expression of 3 ’ genes. We identified which genes are required for infection of plants, which are host range determinants, and which are not needed for plant infection. We continued the characterization of native dRNA populations and showed the presence of five different classes including class III dRNAs that consists of infectious and self-replicating molecules and class V dRNAs that contain all of the 3 ’ ORFs, along with class IV dRNAs that retain non-contiguous internal sequences. We have constructed and tested in protoplasts a series of expression vectors that will be described in this proposal.

The black carp (bc)GtH IIb cDNA was amplified and isolated, cloned and sequenced. Comparison of the bcGtH IIb deduced a.a. sequence with that of GtH IIb from other teleosts revealed high homology to cyprinid species and a lower homology to salmonid or perciform fish. The gene coding for the GtH IIb was isolated and sequenced. Three bc recombinant phages which hybridized to the goldfish GtH Ib cDNA probe were isolated and are currently being characterized. The region coding for the mature GtH IIb was expressed in a bacterial expression vector resulting in the production of a recombinant protein. In vitro folding resulted in a protein only 1.3% of which displaced the native common carp GtH II in a RIA. Therefore, the common carp GtH RIA was utilized for the physiological studies at the current phase of the project. Two non-functional sites were identified along the brain-pituitary gonadal axis in the immature black carp. The pituitary is refractory to GnRH stimulation due to a block proximal to the activation of PKA and PKC probably at the level of GnRH receptors. The gonads, although capable of producing steroids, are refractory to gonadotropic stimulation but do respond to cAMP antagonists, indicating a block at the GtH receptor level. Attempts to advance puberty in 2 and 3 y old black carp showed that testosterone (T) stimulates GtH synthesis in the pituitary and increases its sensitivity to GnRh. A 2 month treatment combining T+GnRH increased the circulating GFtH level in 3 y old fish. Addition of domperidone to such a treatment facilitated both the accumulation of GtH in the pituitary and its response to GnRH. The cDNA of striped bass GtH a, Ib and IIb subunits were amplified, isolated, cloned and sequenced, and their deduced a.a. sequences were compared with those of other teleosts. A ribonuclease protection assay was developed for a sensitive and simultaneous determination of all GtH subunits, and of b-actin mRNAs of the striped bass. GnRH stimulated dramatically the expression of the a and GtH IIb subunits but the level of GtH Ib mRNA increased only moderately. These findings suggest that GtH-II, considered in salmonids to be involved only in final stages of gametogenesis, can be induced by GnRH to a higher extent than GtH-I in juvenile striped bass. The native GtH II of the striped bass was isolated and purified, and an ELISA for its determination was developed. The production of all recombinant striped bass GtH subunits is in progress using the insect cell (Sf9) culture and the BAC-TO-BAC baculovirus expression system. A recombinant GtH IIb subunit has been produced already, and its similarity to the native subunit was confirmed. The yield of the recombinant glycoprotein can reach 3.5 mg/ml after 3 days culture. All male striped bass reach puberty after 3 y. However, precocious puberty was discovered in 1 and 2 y old males. Females become vitellogenic during their 4th year. In immature 2 y old females, T treatment elevates the pituitary GtH II content while GnRH only potentiates the effect. However, in males GnRH and not T affects GtH accumulation in the pituitary. Neither GnRH, nor T treatment resulted in gonadal growth in 2 y old striped bass, indicating that either the accumulated GtH II was not released, or if released, the gonads were refractory to GtH stimulation, similar to the situation in the immature black carp. In 3 y old female striped bass, 150 day GnRHa treatment resulted in an increase in GSI, while T treatment, with or without GnRHa, resulted in a decrease in oocyte diameter, similar to the effect seen in the black carp. Further attempts to advance puberty in both fish species should take into account the positive effect of T on pituitary GtH and its negative effect of ovarian growth.