Graded-bandgap AlGaAs solar cells for AlGaAs/Ge cascade cells

Some p/n graded-bandgap Al(x)Ga(1-x)As solar cells were fabricated and show AMO conversion efficiencies in excess of 15 percent without antireflection (AR) coatings. The emitters of these cells are graded between 0.008 is less than or equal to x is less than or equal to 0.02 during growth of 0.25 to 0.30 micron thick layers. The keys to achieving this performance were careful selection of organometallic sources and scrubbing oxygen and water vapor from the AsH3 source. Source selection and growth were optimized using time-resolved photoluminescence. Preliminary radiation-resistance measurements show AlGaAs cells degraded less than GaAs cells at high 1 MeV electron fluences, and AlGaAs cells grown on GaAs and Ge substrates degrade comparably

Evolutionary quantitative genetics of juvenile body size in a population of feral horses reveals sexually antagonistic selection

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Springer via the DOI in this record.Inter-individual variation in juvenile body size can have important consequences for individual fitness, population dynamics, and adaptive evolution. In wild vertebrate populations, larger juvenile size is usually expected to be selected for. However, understanding how such selection may translate into adaptive evolution requires an understanding of the genetic underpinnings of early development and the factors modulating selection. In this study, we characterised the genetic basis of and selection pressures acting upon juvenile body size in a large insular population of feral horses on Sable Island, Canada, to gain insights into the evolution of juvenile body size in wild vertebrate populations. We used pedigree-based quantitative genetic ‘animal models’ to quantify the sources of phenotypic variation in withers-knee length, and assessed the influence of maternal age, sex, and temporal (birth year) and spatial environmental heterogeneity in modulating overwinter survival selection. We found that withers-knee length is moderately heritable and that there was a significant positive genetic correlation between males and females. There was no indication of directional selection in a pooled-sex analysis, but we did find evidence for significant sexually antagonistic selection, with a tendency for smaller body size to be favoured in males and larger body size to be favoured in females. These results suggest that juvenile body size has the potential to evolve in this population, and that selection on juvenile size may play an important role in modulating sex-specific contributions to population dynamics. However, our results also suggest that there is unlikely to be evolutionary change in the mean body size of Sable Island foals.Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of CanadaCanada Foundation for InnovationRoyal SocietyUniversity of Exete

Hepatitis C virus exploits cyclophilin A to evade PKR

Counteracting innate immunity is essential for successful viral replication. Host cyclophilins (Cyps) have been implicated in viral evasion of host antiviral responses, although the mechanisms are still unclear. Here, we show that hepatitis C virus (HCV) co-opts the host protein CypA to aid evasion of antiviral responses dependent on the effector protein kinase R (PKR). Pharmacological inhibition of CypA rescues PKR from antagonism by HCV NS5A, leading to activation of an interferon regulatory factor-1 (IRF1)-driven cell intrinsic antiviral program that inhibits viral replication. These findings further the understanding of the complexity of Cyp-virus interactions, provide mechanistic insight into the remarkably broad antiviral spectrum of Cyp inhibitors, and uncover novel aspects of PKR activity and regulation. Collectively, our study identifies a novel antiviral mechanism that harnesses cellular antiviral immunity to suppress viral replication

Dayside response of the magnetosphere to a small shock compression: Van Allen Probes, Magnetospheric MultiScale, and GOES-13.

Observations from Magnetospheric MultiScale (~8 Re) and Van Allen Probes (~5 and 4 Re) show that the initial dayside response to a small interplanetary shock is a double-peaked dawnward electric field, which is distinctly different from the usual bipolar (dawnward and then duskward) signature reported for large shocks. The associated E × B flow is radially inward. The shock compressed the magnetopause to inside 8 Re, as observed by Magnetospheric MultiScale (MMS), with a speed that is comparable to the E × B flow. The magnetopause speed and the E × B speeds were significantly less than the propagation speed of the pulse from MMS to the Van Allen Probes and GOES-13, which is consistent with the MHD fast mode. There were increased fluxes of energetic electrons up to several MeV. Signatures of drift echoes and response to ULF waves also were seen. These observations demonstrate that even very weak shocks can have significant impact on the radiation belts

Explaining Polarization Reversals in STEREO Wave Data

Recently Breneman et al. reported observations of large amplitude lightning and transmitter whistler mode waves from two STEREO passes through the inner radiation belt (L<2). Hodograms of the electric field in the plane transverse to the magnetic field showed that the transmitter waves underwent periodic polarization reversals. Specifically, their polarization would cycle through a pattern of right-hand to linear to left-hand polarization at a rate of roughly 200 Hz. The lightning whistlers were observed to be left-hand polarized at frequencies greater than the lower hybrid frequency and less than the transmitter frequency (21.4 kHz) and right-hand polarized otherwise. Only righthand polarized waves in the inner radiation belt should exist in the frequency range of the whistler mode and these reversals were not explained in the previous paper. We show, with a combination of observations and simulated wave superposition, that these polarization reversals are due to the beating of an incident electromagnetic whistler mode wave at 21.4 kHz and linearly polarized, symmetric lower hybrid sidebands Doppler-shifted from the incident wave by +/-200 Hz. The existence of the lower hybrid waves is consistent with the parametric decay mechanism of Lee and Kuo whereby an incident whistler mode wave decays into symmetric, short wavelength lower hybrid waves and a purely growing (zero-frequency) mode. Like the lower hybrid waves, the purely growing mode is Doppler-shifted by 200 Hz as observed on STEREO. This decay mechanism in the upper ionosphere has been previously reported at equatorial latitudes and is thought to have a direct connection with explosive spread F enhancements. As such it may represent another dissipation mechanism of VLF wave energy in the ionosphere and may help to explain a deficit of observed lightning and transmitter energy in the inner radiation belts as reported by Starks et al

Serosurvey of human antibodies recognizing Aedes aegypti D7 salivary proteins in Colombia

Citation: Londono-Renteria, B. L., Shakeri, H., Rozo-Lopez, P., Conway, M. J., Duggan, N., Jaberi-Douraki, M., & Colpitts, T. M. (2018). Serosurvey of Human Antibodies Recognizing Aedes aegypti D7 Salivary Proteins in Colombia. Frontiers in Public Health, 6. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2018.00111Background: Dengue is one of the most geographically significant mosquito-borne viral diseases transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. During blood feeding, the mosquito deposits salivary proteins that induce antibody responses. These can be related to the intensity of exposure to bites. Some mosquito salivary proteins, such as D7 proteins, are known as potent allergens. The antibody response to D7 proteins can be used as a marker to evaluate the risk of exposure and disease transmission, and provide critical information for understanding the dynamics of vector-host interactions. Methods: The study was conducted at the Los Patios Hospital, Cucuta, Norte de Santander, Colombia. A total of 63 participants were enrolled in the study. Participants were categorized into three disease status groups, age groups, and socioeconomic strata. The level of IgG antibodies against D7 Aedes proteins was determined by ELISA. We used a statistical approach to determine if there is an association between antibody levels and factors such as age, living conditions, and dengue virus infection. Results: We found that IgG antibodies against D7 proteins were higher in non-DENV infected individuals in comparison to DENV-infected participants. Also, age factor showed a significant positive correlation with IgG antibodies against D7 proteins, and the living conditions (socioeconomic stratification), in people ages 20 years or older, are a statistically significant factor in the variability of IgG antibodies against D7 proteins. Conclusions: This pilot study represents the first approximation to elucidate any correlation between the antibody response against mosquito D7 salivary proteins and its correlation with age, living conditions and dengue virus infection in a dengue endemic area

First Case Start Times for Vascular Surgery

Problem/Impact Statement: 85% of first cases at Maine Medical Center for Vascular Surgery start late. According to one study done by Aurora Health Care; of 5,500 first case surgeries, 88% of them started late. The impact of this is far reaching. It is not in alignment with MMC value of Patient Centered Care because the patient becomes dissatisfied waiting to be brought in to surgery , they are fasting for longer than anticipated, and being away from their family while they wait causing anxiety. The financial impact is $1995 for each 1⁄2 hr. of O.R. time. Furthermore, this may result in elective cases being canceled, late cases create a back log of cases to be done, the hospital loses potential revenue, and staff stay later causing overtime accrual