Re-imagining politics to build a fairer society: Q&A with Daniel Chandler

For Daniel Chandler, some key insights into reforming our politics to make it more inclusive, egalitarian and democratic come from the philosopher John Rawls. In his latest book Free and Equal: What Would a Fair Society Look Like, Chandler draws on Rawls’s thinking to put forward practical ideas to reform our current model, to restore trust, boost meaningful political participation, and overcome divisive identity politics. These include capping financial donations to political parties, mandating greater transparency in lobbying, making voter registration easier, banning second jobs for MPs, and holding elections outside of working days. Beyond these, he also advocates more radical democratic innovations, some with the potential to profoundly reshape our political institutions and processes

Frequency and Field Strength Materials Characterization with Complementary Split-ring Resonators, Coplanar Waveguides, and the Virtual Ground Method

Title from PDF of title page viewed May 20, 2020Thesis advisor: Anthony CarusoVitaIncludes bibliographical references (pages 69-71)Thesis (M.S.)--Department of Physics and Astronomy. University of Missouri--Kansas City, 2019In the radiofrequency bands, measuring the power-dependent complex permittivity and permeability of materials that undergo metal–insulator transitions is a significant challenge which is important for defense and commercial applications. This thesis attempts to articulate barriers in the prior art, and how the techniques described herein overcome such deficiencies. Specifically, using a combination of direct and indirect narrow-band resonant and wide-band, non-resonant heterostructures, with narrow gaps, application relevant electric fields were achieved, and complementary assessments of the measured S-parameters were determined. The heterostructures/fixtures include complementary split-ring resonator and coplanar waveguide instantiations. Additionally and complementary to the RF measurement systems, a ferroelectric test measurement system for high-frequency and high-power polarization vs. electric field curves was designed, built, tested, and shown to match baseline comparisons. The ferroelectric test system is a Sawyer–Tower variant using the virtual ground topology.Introduction -- Background -- Overview of measurement Techniques -- Coplanar waveguides and complementary split-ring resinators -- Virtual ground method -- Summary and future wor

Evidence for Broad Versus Segregated Projections from Cholinergic and Noradrenergic Nuclei to Functionally and Anatomically Discrete Subregions of Prefrontal Cortex

The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is implicated in a variety of cognitive and executive operations. However, this region is not a single functional unit; rather, it is composed of several functionally and anatomically distinct networks, including anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). These prefrontal subregions serve dissociable behavioral functions, and are unique in their afferent and efferent connections. Each of these subregions is innervated by ascending cholinergic and noradrenergic systems, each of which likewise has a distinct role in cognitive function; yet the distribution and projection patterns of cells in the source nuclei for these pathways have not been examined in great detail. In this study, fluorescent retrograde tracers were injected into ACC, mPFC, and OFC, and labeled cells were identified in the cholinergic nucleus basalis of Meynert (NBM) and noradrenergic nucleus locus coeruleus (LC). Injections into all three cortical regions consistently labeled cells primarily ipsilateral to the injection site with a minimal contralateral component. In NBM, retrogradely labeled neurons were scattered throughout the rostral half of the nucleus, whereas those in LC tended to cluster in the core of the nucleus, and were rarely localized within the rostral or caudal poles. In NBM, more than half of all retrogradely labeled cells possessed axon collaterals projecting two or more PFC subregions. In LC, however, only 4.3% of retrogradely labeled neurons possessed collaterals targeting any two prefrontal subregions simultaneously, and no cells were identified that projected to all three regions. Of all labeled LC neurons, 49.3% projected only to mPFC, 28.5% projected only to OFC, and 18.0% projected only to ACC. These findings suggest that subsets of LC neurons may be capable of modulating neuronal activity in individual prefrontal subregions independently, whereas assemblies of NBM cells may exert a more unified influence on the three areas, simultaneously. This work emphasizes unique aspects of the cholinergic and noradrenergic projections to functionally and anatomically distinct subregions of PFC and provides insights regarding global versus segregated regulation of prefrontal operations by these neuromodulatory pathways

Identification and Distribution of Projections from Monoaminergic and cholinergic nuclei to Functionally Differentiated Subregions of Prefrontal Cortex

The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is implicated in a variety of cognitive and executive functions and is composed of several distinct networks, including anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). These regions serve dissociable cognitive functions, and are heavily innervated by acetylcholine, dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine systems. In this study, fluorescently labeled retrograde tracers were injected into the ACC, mPFC, and OFC, and labeled cells were identified in the nucleus basalis (NB), ventral tegmental area (VTA), dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) and locus coeruleus (LC). DRN and LC showed similar distributions of retrogradely labeled neurons such that most were single labeled and the largest population projected to mPFC. VTA showed a slightly greater proportion of double and triple labeled neurons, with the largest population projecting to OFC. NB, on the other hand, showed mostly double and triple labeled neurons projecting to multiple subregions. Therefore, subsets of VTA, DRN and LC neurons may be capable of modulating individual prefrontal subregions independently, whereas NB cells may exert a more unified influence on the three areas simultaneously. These findings emphasize the unique aspects of the cholinergic and monoaminergic projections to functionally and anatomically distinct subregions of PFC

Persistent Stress-Induced Neuroplastic Changes in the Locus Coeruleus/Norepinephrine System

Neural plasticity plays a critical role in mediating short- and long-term brain responses to environmental stimuli. A major effector of plasticity throughout many regions of the brain is stress. Activation of the locus coeruleus (LC) is a critical step in mediating the neuroendocrine and behavioral limbs of the stress response. During stressor exposure, activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis promotes release of corticotropin-releasing factor in LC, where its signaling promotes a number of physiological and cellular changes. While the acute effects of stress on LC physiology have been described, its long-term effects are less clear. This review will describe how stress changes LC neuronal physiology, function, and morphology from a genetic, cellular, and neuronal circuitry/transmission perspective. Specifically, we describe morphological changes of LC neurons in response to stressful stimuli and signal transduction pathways underlying them. Also, we will review changes in excitatory glutamatergic synaptic transmission in LC neurons and possible stress-induced modifications of AMPA receptors. This review will also address stress-related behavioral adaptations and specific noradrenergic receptors responsible for them. Finally, we summarize the results of several human studies which suggest a link between stress, altered LC function, and pathogenesis of posttraumatic stress disorder

Archaeological Salvage Research at 41BX901, a Prehistoric Quarry in Bexar County, Texas

During the months of October and November, 1990, staff members and volunteers of the Center of Archaeological Research (CAR), The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), conducted surface survey, mapping, subsurface testing and private collection research at 41 BX 901 and surrounding areas. 41 BX 901 is an extensive prehistoric chert stone quarry in northeastern Bexar county, Texas. The site had been selected for construction of a new middle school by the Northeast Independent School District (NEISD). Survey and testing research was performed in order to evaluate 41 BX 901 and to locate any additional archaeological remains which might be affected by school construction and operation. Extensive prehistoric archaeological remains were encountered at 41 BX 901. Surface and subsurface testing at the site produced abundant lithic remains which indicate lithic procurement and the initial stages of tool fabrication took place here during prehistoric times. However, time-diagnostic artifacts were not recovered from 41 BX 901. Chronological placement of the site depends upon neighboring, more securely dated sites which, it is proposed in this report, had a functional relationship with 41 BX 901. Although 41 BX 901 is one of the most impressive quarries yet documented in this region, the site has been largely destroyed by school construction. 41 BX 905, recorded as part of this project and likely a continuation of 41 BX 901 on neighboring property, is well preserved and will be proposed for national register status. No further archaeological research is recommended for 41 BX 901 due to the destruction of the site. Two neighboring sites, 41 BX 903 and 41 BX 905, merit national register status and protection from development and looting

Androgen receptor as a mediator and biomarker of radioresistance in triple-negative breast cancer.

Increased rates of locoregional recurrence have been observed in triple-negative breast cancer despite chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Thus, approaches that combine therapies for radiosensitization in triple-negative breast cancer are critically needed. We characterized the radiation therapy response of 21 breast cancer cell lines and paired this radiation response data with high-throughput drug screen data to identify androgen receptor as a top target for radiosensitization. Our radiosensitizer screen nominated bicalutamide as the drug most effective in treating radiation therapy-resistant breast cancer cell lines. We subsequently evaluated the expression of androgen receptor in >2100 human breast tumor samples and 51 breast cancer cell lines and found significant heterogeneity in androgen receptor expression with enrichment at the protein and RNA level in triple-negative breast cancer. There was a strong correlation between androgen receptor RNA and protein expression across all breast cancer subtypes (R2 = 0.72, p < 0.01). In patients with triple-negative breast cancer, expression of androgen receptor above the median was associated with increased risk of locoregional recurrence after radiation therapy (hazard ratio for locoregional recurrence 2.9-3.2)) in two independent data sets, but there was no difference in locoregional recurrence in triple-negative breast cancer patients not treated with radiation therapy when stratified by androgen receptor expression. In multivariable analysis, androgen receptor expression was most significantly associated with worse local recurrence-free survival after radiation therapy (hazard ratio of 3.58) suggesting that androgen receptor expression may be a biomarker of radiation response in triple-negative breast cancer. Inhibition of androgen receptor with MDV3100 (enzalutamide) induced radiation sensitivity (enhancement ratios of 1.22-1.60) in androgen receptor-positive triple-negative breast cancer lines, but did not affect androgen receptor-negative triple-negative breast cancer or estrogen-receptor-positive, androgen receptor-negative breast cancer cell lines. androgen receptor inhibition with MDV3100 significantly radiosensitized triple-negative breast cancer xenografts in mouse models and markedly delayed tumor doubling/tripling time and tumor weight. Radiosensitization was at least partially dependent on impaired dsDNA break repair mediated by DNA protein kinase catalytic subunit. Our results implicate androgen receptor as a mediator of radioresistance in breast cancer and identify androgen receptor inhibition as a potentially effective strategy for the treatment of androgen receptor-positive radioresistant tumors