Extensions of Picard 2-Stacks and the cohomology groups Ext^i of length 3 complexes

The aim of this paper is to define and study the 3-category of extensions of Picard 2-stacks over a site S and to furnish a geometrical description of the cohomology groups Ext^i of length 3 complexes of abelian sheaves. More precisely, our main Theorem furnishes (1) a parametrization of the equivalence classes of objects, 1-arrows, 2-arrows, and 3-arrows of the 3-category of extensions of Picard 2-stacks by the cohomology groups Ext^i, and (2) a geometrical description of the cohomology groups Ext^i of length 3 complexes of abelian sheaves via extensions of Picard 2-stacks. To this end, we use the triequivalence between the 3-category of Picard 2-stacks and the tricategory T^[-2,0](S) of length 3 complexes of abelian sheaves over S introduced by the second author in arXiv:0906.2393, and we define the notion of extension in this tricategory T^[-2,0](S), getting a pure algebraic analogue of the 3-category of extensions of Picard 2-stacks. The calculus of fractions that we use to define extensions in the tricategory T^[-2,0](S) plays a central role in the proof of our Main Theorem.Comment: 2 New Appendix: in the first Appendix we compute a long exact sequence involving the homotopy groups of an extension of Picard 2-stacks, and in the second Appendix we sketch the proof that the fibered sum of Picard 2-stacks satisfies the universal propert

Roles of binding elements, FOXL2 domains, and interactions with cJUN and SMADs in regulation of FSHβ.

We previously identified FOXL2 as a critical component in FSHβ gene transcription. Here, we show that mice deficient in FOXL2 have lower levels of gonadotropin gene expression and fewer LH- and FSH-containing cells, but the same level of other pituitary hormones compared to wild-type littermates, highlighting a role of FOXL2 in the pituitary gonadotrope. Further, we investigate the function of FOXL2 in the gonadotrope cell and determine which domains of the FOXL2 protein are necessary for induction of FSHβ transcription. There is a stronger induction of FSHβ reporter transcription by truncated FOXL2 proteins, but no induction with the mutant lacking the forkhead domain. Specifically, FOXL2 plays a role in activin induction of FSHβ, functioning in concert with activin-induced SMAD proteins. Activin acts through multiple promoter elements to induce FSHβ expression, some of which bind FOXL2. Each of these FOXL2-binding sites is either juxtaposed or overlapping with a SMAD-binding element. We determined that FOXL2 and SMAD4 proteins form a higher order complex on the most proximal FOXL2 site. Surprisingly, two other sites important for activin induction bind neither SMADs nor FOXL2, suggesting additional factors at work. Furthermore, we show that FOXL2 plays a role in synergistic induction of FSHβ by GnRH and activin through interactions with the cJUN component of the AP1 complex that is necessary for GnRH responsiveness. Collectively, our results demonstrate the necessity of FOXL2 for proper FSH production in mice and implicate FOXL2 in integration of transcription factors at the level of the FSHβ promoter

Classifying the biodiversity of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area for the classification phase of the representative areas program

This technical report outlines the methods that the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority used to classify the biodiversity of the marine environs of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area for the Representative Areas Program. Classification was the first step in the multiphase Representative Areas Program that eventuated in a new network of no-take areas, free from extractive activities, in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park

Design, analysis and test verification of advanced encapsulation systems, phase 2 program results

Optical, electrical isolation, thermal structural, structural deflection, and thermal tests are reported. The utility of the optical, series capacitance, and structural deflection models was verified

How to Launch an Interdisciplinary Leadership Program

Building a doctoral program in leadership is never an easy task, and building an interdisciplinary doctoral program is even more difficult. Yet, it is the interdisciplinary approach that differentiates typical leadership programs from others and offers learners an integrated view of leadership theories and practices. This special report presents an example of designing and implementing an interdisciplinary doctoral program that promotes social justice leadership. Drawing from firsthand experiences of program faculty, staff, and administration, we share lessons learned and the logic behind adopting an interdisciplinary approach for those creating programs that seeks to promote social justice. We found that by allowing students and faculty to convene together, rather than disperse into separate, isolated academic disciplines, emerging scholar-practitioners are encouraged to engage in realistic, professional practice investigation and problem-solving techniques. Through this experience, we also found that conscious coursework design involves integrating multiple, often quite divergent, disciplines into a core set of courses. Additionally, we learned that unifying students through a common mission permits distinctive discussions, including personal reflection and ethical decision-making opportunities among the concepts, constructs, and knowledge that extend beyond disciplinary lines (Cherney et al., 2012). We also found that cultivating a diverse student body and faculty base requires everyone to work strategically within the program, recognizing the call for coherence and consistency across disciplinary lines. Finally, we discovered that developing a dissertation in practice allows students to implement an evidence-based solution within their professional practice setting as their pinnacle doctorate work (Herr & Anderson, 2014; Olson & Clark, 2009). We conclude this paper by reiterating our finding that leadership programs that promote social justice are enhanced by adopting an interdisciplinary approach as this allows for the creation of a program that challenges students to learn at a more complex level, faculty to integrate disciplines, and programs to promote socially just ideals. We discuss implications for other schools seeking to develop an interdisciplinary doctoral leadership program

Investigating high-mass star formation through maser surveys

Interstellar masers are unique probes of the environments in which they arise. In studies of high-mass star formation their primary function has been as signposts of these regions and they have been used as probes of the kinematics and physical conditions in only a few sources. With a few notable exceptions, we know relatively little about the evolutionary phase the different maser species trace, nor their location with respect to other star formation tracers. While detailed studies of a small number of maser regions can reveal much about them, other information can only be obtained through large, systematic searches. In particular, such surveys are vital in efforts to determine an evolutionary sequence for the common maser species, and there is growing evidence that methanol masers may trace an earlier phase than the other common maser species of OH and water. © 2008 International Astronomical Union

Intergenerational social mobility and mid-life status attainment: influences of childhood intelligence, childhood social factors, and education

We examined the influences of childhood social background, childhood cognitive ability, and education on intergenerational social mobility and social status attainment at midlife. The subjects were men born in 1921 and who participated in the Scottish Mental Survey of 1932 and thereafter in the Midspan Collaborative study in Scotland between 1970 and 1973. In logistic regression analyses, childhood cognitive ability and height were associated with upward and downward change from father's social class to participant's social class at mid-life. Education significantly influenced upward social mobility. Number of siblings had no significant effect on social mobility. These effects were also examined after adjusting for the other variables. In structural equation modelling analyses, father's social class and childhood cognitive ability influenced social status attainment at midlife, with education and occupational status in young adulthood as partially mediating factors. It was noteworthy that childhood cognitive ability related more strongly to occupation in midlife than to first occupation. These data add to the relatively few studies that track the process of status attainment in adulthood, they provide information from a new geographical setting, and they contain information from a greater proportion of the lifecourse than do most existing studies

Star formation triggered by HII regions in our Galaxy: First results for N49 from the Herschel infrared survey of the Galactic plane

It has been shown that by means of different physical mechanisms the expansion of HII regions can trigger the formation of new stars of all masses. This process may be important to the formation of massive stars but has never been quantified in the Galaxy. We use Herschel-PACS and -SPIRE images from the Herschel Infrared survey of the Galactic plane, Hi-GAL, to perform this study. We combine the Spitzer-GLIMPSE and -MIPSGAL, radio-continuum and sub-millimeter surveys such as ATLASGAL with Hi-GAL to study Young Stellar Objects (YSOs) observed towards Galactic HII regions. We select a representative HII region, N49, located in the field centered on l=30 degr observed as part of the Hi-GAL Science Demonstration Phase, to demonstrate the importance Hi-GAL will have to this field of research. Hi-GAL PACS and SPIRE images reveal a new population of embedded young stars, coincident with bright ATLASGAL condensations. The Hi-GAL images also allow us, for the first time, to constrain the physical properties of the newly formed stars by means of fits to their spectral energy distribution. Massive young stellar objects are observed at the borders of the N49 region and represent second generation massive stars whose formation has been triggered by the expansion of the ionized region. Hi-GAL enables us to detect a population of young stars at different evolutionary stages, cold condensations only being detected in the SPIRE wavelength range. The far IR coverage of Hi-GAL strongly constrains the physical properties of the YSOs. The large and unbiased spatial coverage of this survey offers us a unique opportunity to lead, for the first time, a global study of star formation triggered by HII regions in our Galaxy.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, accepted by A&A (Special issue on Herschel first results

Peer mentorship and positive effects on student mentor and mentee retention and academic success

This study examined how the introduction of peer mentorship in an undergraduate health and social welfare programme at a large northern university affected student learning. Using an ethnographic case study approach, the study draws upon data collected from a small group of mentors and their mentees over a period of one academic year using interviews, reflective journals, assessment and course evaluation data. Analysis of the data collected identified a number of key findings: peer mentorship improves assessment performance for both mentee and mentor; reduces stress and anxiety, enhances participation and engagement in the academic community, and adds value to student outcomes

Vascular access survival and incidence of revisions: A comparison of prosthetic grafts, simple autogenous fistulas, and venous transposition fistulas from the United States Renal Data System Dialysis Morbidity and Mortality Study

AbstractObjective: The study's aim was to evaluate access patency and incidence of revisions in patients initiating hemodialysis and to determine differences in access performance by type of access among patient subgroups. Methods: The study used data from the United States Renal Data System Dialysis Morbidity and Mortality Study Wave 2, which contained a random sample of dialysis patients initiating dialysis in 1996 and early 1997. Failures and revisions were evaluated among 2247 newly placed hemodialysis accesses by using Cox proportional hazards regression model and Poisson regression. Primary and secondary patency rates were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: Fifteen hundred seventy-four prosthetic grafts, 492 simple autogenous fistulas, and 181 venous transposition fistulas were available for evaluation. Prosthetic grafts had a 41% greater risk of primary failure compared with simple fistulas (relative risk, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.22-1.64; P <.001) and a 91% higher incidence of revision (relative risk, 1.91; 95% CI, 1.60-2.28; P <.001). At 2 years, autogenous fistulas demonstrated superior primary patency (39.8% versus 24.6%, P <.001) and equivalent secondary patency (64.3% versus 59.5%, P =.24) compared with prosthetic grafts. When compared with simple fistulas, vein transpositions demonstrated equivalent secondary patency at 2 years (61.5% versus 64.3%, P =.43) but inferior primary patency (27.7% versus 39.8%, P =.008) and had a 32% increased incidence of revision (P =.04). Autogenous fistulas had superior primary patency compared with prosthetic grafts in all patient subgroups except for patients with previously failed access. Vein transpositions showed the greatest benefit in terms of patency and incidence of revision in women and in patients with previously failed access. Conclusions: The preferential placement of autogenous fistulas may increase primary patency and decrease the incidence of revisions. Vein transpositions had similar secondary patency compared with simple fistulas, but required more revisions. The greatest benefit of a vein transposition fistula was seen in women and in patients with a history of access failure. (J Vasc Surg 2001;34:694-700.