Paper Session II-D - Project Vision (Very Intensive Scientific Intercurricular Onsite Education): A Partnership Among NASA/John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida International University, Universidad del Turabo, Dade County Public Schools, and the Caguas/Gurabo Public Schools.

Project VISION is a joint effort among NASA/John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida International University, Universidad del Turabo, Dade County Public Schools and the Caguas/ Gurabo Public Schools. The project’s main mission is to institutionalize change among the 7th grade science and mathematics teachers at participating public middle schools. A further aspect of the mission is to enhance the science and math education of the public middle school students during the phase of institutionalization. Project VISION will not need to generate any new educational materials to fulfill its mission. Rather than generating new materials, Project VISION will use the vast quantities of high quality learning modules, lessons, hands-on experiments and other educational materials available at NASA and other scientific depositories. The project will identify, adopt and then adapt these learning modules or learning materials to best meet the needs and capabilities of the target student and teacher populations. A further goal of this project lies within the realm of NASA’s Mission - to specifically focus our activities on middle schools that serve socially and economically disadvantaged students. Additionally, the project will invite members of the private and public sectors to serve as lecturers, mentors and role models. The project will perform program evaluations to measure the levels of success and accomplishments of each of the proposed activities

Phenotypically distinct anti-insulin B cells repopulate pancreatic islets after anti-CD20 treatment in NOD mice

Aims/hypothesis Autoreactive B cells escape immune tolerance and contribute to the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes. While global B cell depletion is a successful therapy for autoimmune disease, the fate of autoreactive cells during this treatment in autoimmune diabetes is unknown. We aimed to identify and track anti-insulin B cells in pancreatic islets and understand their repopulation after anti-CD20 treatment. Methods We generated a double transgenic system, the VH125.hCD20/NOD mouse. The VH125 transgenic mouse, expressing an increased frequency of anti-insulin B cells, was crossed with a human CD20 (hCD20) transgenic mouse, to facilitate B cell depletion using anti-CD20. B cells were analysed using multiparameter and ImageStream flow cytometry. Results We demonstrated that anti-insulin B cells were recruited to the pancreas during disease progression in VH125.hCD20/NOD mice. We identified two distinct populations of anti-insulin B cells in pancreatic islets, based on CD19 expression, with both populations enriched in the CD138int fraction. Anti-insulin B cells were not identified in the plasma-cell CD138hi fraction, which also expressed the transcription factor Blimp-1. After anti-CD20 treatment, anti-insulin B cells repopulated the pancreatic islets earlier than non-specific B cells. Importantly, we observed that a CD138intinsulin+CD19− population was particularly enriched after B cell depletion, possibly contributing to the persistence of disease still observed in some mice after anti-CD20 treatment. Conclusions/interpretation Our observations may indicate why the loss of C-peptide is only temporarily delayed following anti-CD20 treatment in human type 1 diabetes

Fine-scale distributions of carnivores in a logging concession in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo

Coarse-scale patterns of distribution and abundance of species are the outcome of processes occurring at finer spatial scales, hence the conservation of species depends on understanding their fine-scale ecology. For Bornean carnivores, little is known about fine-scale predictors of species occurrence and it is assumed that the two main threats to wildlife on Borneo, habitat disturbance and hunting, also impact their occurrence. To increase our understanding of the Borneo carnivore community, we deployed 60 cameras in a logging concession in northern Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo, where different landscape covariates, both natural and anthropogenic, were present. We built single-species occupancy models to investigate fine-scale carnivore occupancy. Overall, forest disturbance had a negative effect on Hose's civet (Diplogale hosei), banded civet (Hemigalus derbyanus) and yellow-throated marten (Martes flavigula). Further, banded civet had greater occupancy probabilities in more remote areas. Logging roads had the most diverse effect on carnivore occupancy, with Hose's civet and masked palm civet (Paguma larvata) negatively affected by roads, whereas Malay civet (Viverra tangalunga), short-tailed mongoose (Herpestes brachyurus) and leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) showed higher occupancy closer to roads. Canopy height, canopy closure, number of trees with holes (cavities) and distance to nearest village also affected occupancy, though the directions of these effects varied among species. Our results highlight the need to collect often overlooked habitat variables: moss cover and ‘kerangas’ (tropical heath forest) were the most important variables predicting occurrence of Hose's civet. The preservation of such forest conditions may be crucial for the long-term conservation of this little-known species. Our results confirm that logged forests, when left to regenerate, can host diverse carnivore communities on Borneo, provided less disturbed habitat is available nearby, though human access needs to be controlled. We recommend easy-to-implement forest management strategies including maintaining forest next to logging roads; preserving fruiting trees and trees with cavities, both standing and fallen; and blocks of remote, less disturbed, mid- to high-elevation forest with understorey vegetation

SEASTAR: a mission to study ocean submesoscale dynamics and small-scale atmosphere-ocean processes in coastal, shelf and polar seas

High-resolution satellite images of ocean color and sea surface temperature reveal an abundance of ocean fronts, vortices and filaments at scales below 10 km but measurements of ocean surface dynamics at these scales are rare. There is increasing recognition of the role played by small scale ocean processes in ocean-atmosphere coupling, upper-ocean mixing and ocean vertical transports, with advanced numerical models and in situ observations highlighting fundamental changes in dynamics when scales reach 1 km. Numerous scientific publications highlight the global impact of small oceanic scales on marine ecosystems, operational forecasts and long-term climate projections through strong ageostrophic circulations, large vertical ocean velocities and mixed layer re-stratification. Small-scale processes particularly dominate in coastal, shelf and polar seas where they mediate important exchanges between land, ocean, atmosphere and the cryosphere, e.g., freshwater, pollutants. As numerical models continue to evolve toward finer spatial resolution and increasingly complex coupled atmosphere-wave-ice-ocean systems, modern observing capability lags behind, unable to deliver the high-resolution synoptic measurements of total currents, wind vectors and waves needed to advance understanding, develop better parameterizations and improve model validations, forecasts and projections. SEASTAR is a satellite mission concept that proposes to directly address this critical observational gap with synoptic two-dimensional imaging of total ocean surface current vectors and wind vectors at 1 km resolution and coincident directional wave spectra. Based on major recent advances in squinted along-track Synthetic Aperture Radar interferometry, SEASTAR is an innovative, mature concept with unique demonstrated capabilities, seeking to proceed toward spaceborne implementation within Europe and beyond

A Review of Computational Methods in Materials Science: Examples from Shock-Wave and Polymer Physics

This review discusses several computational methods used on different length and time scales for the simulation of material behavior. First, the importance of physical modeling and its relation to computer simulation on multiscales is discussed. Then, computational methods used on different scales are shortly reviewed, before we focus on the molecular dynamics (MD) method. Here we survey in a tutorial-like fashion some key issues including several MD optimization techniques. Thereafter, computational examples for the capabilities of numerical simulations in materials research are discussed. We focus on recent results of shock wave simulations of a solid which are based on two different modeling approaches and we discuss their respective assets and drawbacks with a view to their application on multiscales. Then, the prospects of computer simulations on the molecular length scale using coarse-grained MD methods are covered by means of examples pertaining to complex topological polymer structures including star-polymers, biomacromolecules such as polyelectrolytes and polymers with intrinsic stiffness. This review ends by highlighting new emerging interdisciplinary applications of computational methods in the field of medical engineering where the application of concepts of polymer physics and of shock waves to biological systems holds a lot of promise for improving medical applications such as extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy or tumor treatment

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

Factors influencing the acute vascular inflammatory response in murine endotoxaemia

The inflammatory response is a complex condition that can be visualised in terms of leukocyte activity at the microcirculatory level. Recent data show that leukocyte recruitment can be prevented by both the endogenous protein annexin A1 (AnxA1) and activation of its receptor FPR2/ALX (murine orthologue: Fpr2), thus aiding resolution of the inflammation. Furthermore, AnxA1 is sensitive to oestrogen (E2) and so is a candidate mediator of the sex differences seen in many inflammatory diseases. Using intravital microscopy to quantify leukocyte-endothelial cell interactions in the murine mesentery in real-time and in vivo, we aimed to establish a model of the systemic inflammatory response and determine the involvement of the AnxA1-Fpr2 system in effecting anti-inflammation. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 10 g/mouse I.P.) induced leukocyte rolling, adhesion and emigration, and plasma protein extravasation, observable at 2, 6 and 24 h after injection in mesenteric venules. At 2 h, leukocyte infiltration was also seen in the liver and plasma concentrations of TNF- , IL-6 and IL-10 were raised, indicating a systemic response. When given 20 min into, or at the end of, a 2 h LPS challenge, the Fpr2 ligands AnxA1Ac2-26 and LXA4 reduced LPS-induced adhesion, an effect that was blocked by both antagonists that were either pan-FPR (Boc2) or Fpr2-specific (WRW4). Our model also showed sexual dimorphisms, in that LPS-induced leukocyte-endothelial cell interactions and plasma TNF- and IL-10 concentrations were heightened in females. Ovariectomy revealed a particular role for ovarian hormones besides E2 in the manifestation of these differences, and the use of AnxA1-/- mice suggests that AnxA1 reduces the animals’ sensitivity to E2. These data suggest firstly that FPR2/ALX presents an attractive target for novel anti-inflammatory therapeutics, and secondly that ovarian function is important in the regulation of inflammation.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

CD200R1 promotes interleukin-17 production by group 3 innate lymphoid cells by enhancing signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 activation

Psoriasis is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease with no cure. It is driven by the interleukin (IL)-23/IL-17A axis and type 17 T helper cells; however, recently, group 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3s) have also been implicated. Despite being the focus of much research, factors regulating the activity of ILC3s remain incompletely understood. Immune regulatory pathways are particularly important at barrier sites, such as the skin, gut, and lungs, which are exposed to environmental substances and microbes. CD200R1 is an immune regulatory cell surface receptor that inhibits proinflammatory cytokine production in myeloid cells. CD200R1 is also highly expressed on ILCs, where its function remains largely unexplored. We previously observed reduced CD200R1 signaling in psoriasis-affected skin, suggesting that dysregulation may promote disease. Here, we show that contrary to this, psoriasis models are less severe in CD200R1-deficient mice due to reduced IL-17 production. Here, we uncover a key cell-intrinsic role for CD200R1 in promoting IL-23-driven IL-17A production by ILC3s by promoting signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 activation. Therefore, contrary to its inhibitory role in myeloid cells, CD200R1 is required on ILC3 to promote IL-23-stimulated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 activation, triggering optimal IL-17 production