Adding Value to the IS’97… Curriculum Models: An Interactive Visualization and Analysis Prototype

Several efforts have been undertaken in the information systems (IS) arena to develop a model IS curriculum. Most notable of these is the IS’97 model that contains not only a list of suggested IS courses but also other sub-course and super-course constructs such as presentation areas, learning units, knowledge elements, and knowledge levels. The richness of this model is intended to enhance its usefulness in understanding the details of a curriculum. However, this richness adds a level of complexity that makes it difficult for all but the dedicated scholar to understand the intricacies of the model beyond the course construct level when reading the IS’97 document. This paper describes the development of an interactive prototype based on IS’97 that captures the details of the model within a relational database in an attempt to make it more useful and readily applicable to a variety of curriculum-related activities. Various forms, queries, and reports were developed to make understanding the model easier and to provide interactive capabilities to help faculty, students, and others experiment with the model. Efforts at utilizing the prototype for curriculum visualization and analysis are presented which help to add value to the existing IS’97 document. Finally, the paper concludes with a proposal to extend the IS’97 model constructs into a curriculum management system for an academic institution

Planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) investigation of hypersonic flowfields in a Mach 10 wind tunnel

Planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) of nitric oxide (NO) was used to visualize four different hypersonic flowfields in the NASA Langley Research Center 31-Inch Mach 10 Air wind tunnel. The four configurations were: (1) the wake flowfield of a fuselage-only X-33 lifting body, (2) flow over a flat plate containing a rectangular cavity, (3) flow over a 70deg blunted cone with a cylindrical afterbody, formerly studied by an AGARD working group, and (4) an Apollo-geometry entry capsule - relevant to the Crew Exploration Vehicle currently being developed by NASA. In all cases, NO was seeded into the flowfield through tubes inside or attached to the model sting and strut. PLIF was used to visualize the NO in the flowfield. In some cases pure NO was seeded into the flow while in other cases a 5% NO, 95% N2 mix was injected. Several parameters were varied including seeding method and location, seeding mass flow rate, model angle of attack and tunnel stagnation pressure, which varies the unit Reynolds number. The location of the laser sheet was as also varied to provide three dimensional flow information. Virtual Diagnostics Interface (ViDI) technology developed at NASA Langley was used to visualize the data sets in post processing. The measurements demonstrate some of the capabilities of the PLIF method for studying hypersonic flows

Discovery of a z=4.93, X-ray selected quasar by the Chandra Multiwavelength Project (ChamP)

We present X-ray and optical observations of CXOMP J213945.0-234655, a high redshift (z=4.93) quasar discovered through the Chandra Multiwavelength Project (ChaMP). This object is the most distant X-ray selected quasar published, with an X-ray luminosity of L(X)=5.9x10^44 erg/s (measured in the 0.3-2.5 keV band and corrected for Galactic absorption). CXOMP J213945.0-234655 is a g' dropout object (>26.2), with r'=22.87 and i'=21.36. The rest-frame X-ray to optical flux ratio is similar to quasars at lower redshifts and slightly X-ray bright relative to z>4 optically-selected quasars observed with Chandra. The ChaMP is beginning to acquire significant numbers of high redshift quasars to investigate the unobscured X-ray luminosity function out to z~5.Comment: Published in ApJ Letters; 4 pages; 3 figures; http://hea-www.harvard.edu/CHAMP

Crosstalk between TGF-β1 and complement activation augments epithelial injury in pulmonary fibrosis

The epithelial complement inhibitory proteins (CIPs) cluster of differentiation 46 and 55 (CD46 and CD55) regulate circulating immune complex-mediated complement activation in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Our previous studies demonstrated that IL-17A mediates epithelial injury via transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) and down-regulates CIPs. In the current study, we examined the mechanistic role of TGF-β1 in complement activation-mediated airway epithelial injury in IPF pathogenesis. We observed lower epithelial CIP expression in IPF lungs compared to normal lungs, associated with elevated levels of complement component 3a and 5a (C3a and C5a), locally and systemically. In normal primary human small airway epithelial cells (SAECs) treated with TGF-β1 (10 ng/ml), C3a, or C5a (100 nM), we observed loss of CIPs and increased poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) activation [also observed with RNA interference (RNAi) of CD46/CD55]. TGF-β1-mediated loss of CIPs and Snail induction [SNAI1; a transcriptional repressor of E-cadherin (E-CAD)] was blocked by inhibiting mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK; SB203580) and RNAi silencing of SNAI1. C3a- and C5a-mediated loss of CIPs was also blocked by p38MAPK inhibition. While C3a upregulated TGFb transcripts, both C3a and C5a down-regulated SMAD7 (negative regulator of TGF-β), and whereas TGF-β1 induced C3a/C5a receptor (C3aR/C5aR) expression, pharmacologic C3aR/C5aR inhibition protected against C3a-/C5a-mediated loss of CIPs. Taken together, our results suggest that epithelial injury in IPF can be collectively amplified as a result of TGF-β1-induced loss of CIPs leading to complement activation that down-regulates CIPs and induces TGF-β1 expressio

Potential for improvement of population diet through reformulation of commonly eaten foods

Food reformulation: Reformulation of foods is considered one of the key options to achieve population nutrient goals. The compositions of many foods are modified to assist the consumer bring his or her daily diet more in line with dietary recommendations. Initiatives on food reformulation: Over the past few years the number of reformulated foods introduced on the European market has increased enormously and it is expected that this trend will continue for the coming years. Limits to food reformulation: Limitations to food reformulation in terms of choice of foods appropriate for reformulation and level of feasible reformulation relate mainly to consumer acceptance, safety aspects, technological challenges and food legislation. Impact on key nutrient intake and health: The potential impact of reformulated foods on key nutrient intake and health is obvious. Evaluation of the actual impact requires not only regular food consumption surveys, but also regular updates of the food composition table including the compositions of newly launched reformulated foods

CD4 T cells but not Th17 cells are Required for Mouse Lung Transplant Obliterative Bronchiolitis

Lung transplant survival is limited by obliterative bronchiolitis (OB), but the mechanisms of OB development are unknown. Previous studies in a mouse model of orthotopic lung transplantation suggested a requirement for IL-17. We have used this orthotopic mouse model to investigate the source of IL-17A and the requirement for T cells producing IL-17A. The major sources of IL-17A were CD4+ T cells and γδ T cells. Depletion of CD4+ T cells led to a significantly decreased frequency and number of IL-17A+ lymphocytes and was sufficient to prevent acute rejection and OB. However, mice with STAT3-deficient T cells, which are unable to differentiate into Th17 cells, rejected lung allografts and developed OB similar to control mice. The frequency of IL-17A+ cells was not decreased in mice with STAT3-deficient T cells due mainly to the presence of IL-17A+ γδ T cells. Deficiency of γδ T cells also did not affect the development of airway fibrosis. Our data suggest that CD4+ T cells are required for OB development and expansion of IL-17A responses in the lung, while Th17 and γδ T cells are not absolutely required and may compensate for each other

Multicolor Photometric Observations of Optical Candidates to Faint ROSAT X-ray Sources in a 1 deg2^2 field of the BATC Survey

We present optical candidates for 75 X-ray sources in a $\sim 1$ deg$^2$ overlapping region with the medium deep ROSAT survey. These candidates are selected using the multi-color CCD imaging observations made for the T329 field of the Beijing-Arizona-Taipei-Connecticut (BATC) Sky Survey. These X-ray sources are relatively faint (CR $<< 0.2 s^{-1}$) and thus mostly are not included in the RBS catalog, they also remain as X-ray sources without optical candidates in a previous identification program carried out by the Hamburg Quasar Survey. Within their position-error circles, almost all the X-ray sources are observed to have one or more spatially associated optical candidates within them down to the magnitude $m_V \sim 23.1$. We have classified 149 of 156 detected optical candidates with 73 of the 75 X-ray sources with a SED-based Object Classification Approach (SOCA). These optical candidates include: 31 QSOs, 39 stars, 37 starburst galaxies, 42 galaxies, and 7 "just" visible objects. We have also cross-correlated the positions of these optical objects with NED, the FIRST radio source catalog and the 2MASS catalog. Separately, we have also SED-classified the remaining 6011 objects in our field of view. Optical objects are found at the $6.5\sigma$ level above what one would expect from a random distribution, only QSOs are over-represented in these error circles at greater than 4$\sigma$ frequency. We estimate redshifts for all extragalactic objects, and find a good correspondence of our predicted redshift with the measured redshift (a mean error of 0.04 in $\Delta z$. There appears to be a supercluster at z $\sim$ 0.3-0.35 in this direction, including many of the galaxies in the X-ray error circles are found in this redshift range.Comment: 45 pages, 21 figures, AJ in press, Version with full resolution figures available from http://www.lamost.org/~zht/xray.zi

Oscillatory cAMP signaling rapidly alters H3K4 methylation

receptors (GPCRs) alter H3K4 methylation via oscillatory intracellular cAMP. Activation of Gs-coupled receptors caused a rapid decrease of H3K4me3 by elevating cAMP, whereas stimulation of Gi-coupled receptors increased H3K4me3 by diminishing cAMP. H3K4me3 gradually recovered towards baseline levels after the removal of GPCR ligands, indicating that H3K4me3 oscillates in tandem with GPCR activation. cAMP increased intracellular labile Fe(II), the cofactor for histone demethylases, through a non-canonical cAMP target—Rap guanine nucleotide exchange factor-2 (RapGEF2), which subsequently enhanced endosome acidification and Fe(II) release from the endosome via vacuolar H+-ATPase assembly. Removing Fe(III) from the media blocked intracellular Fe(II) elevation after stimulation of Gs-coupled receptors. Iron chelators and inhibition of KDM5 demethylases abolished cAMP-mediated H3K4me3 demethylation. Taken together, these results suggest a novel function of cAMP signaling in modulating histone demethylation through labile Fe(II)

Comparative genomics of the pathogenic ciliate Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, its free-living relatives and a host species provide insights into adoption of a parasitic lifestyle and prospects for disease control

BACKGROUND: Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, commonly known as Ich, is a highly pathogenic ciliate responsible for 'white spot', a disease causing significant economic losses to the global aquaculture industry. Options for disease control are extremely limited, and Ich's obligate parasitic lifestyle makes experimental studies challenging. Unlike most well-studied protozoan parasites, Ich belongs to a phylum composed primarily of free-living members. Indeed, it is closely related to the model organism Tetrahymena thermophila. Genomic studies represent a promising strategy to reduce the impact of this disease and to understand the evolutionary transition to parasitism. RESULTS: We report the sequencing, assembly and annotation of the Ich macronuclear genome. Compared with its free-living relative T. thermophila, the Ich genome is reduced approximately two-fold in length and gene density and three-fold in gene content. We analyzed in detail several gene classes with diverse functions in behavior, cellular function and host immunogenicity, including protein kinases, membrane transporters, proteases, surface antigens and cytoskeletal components and regulators. We also mapped by orthology Ich's metabolic pathways in comparison with other ciliates and a potential host organism, the zebrafish Danio rerio. CONCLUSIONS: Knowledge of the complete protein-coding and metabolic potential of Ich opens avenues for rational testing of therapeutic drugs that target functions essential to this parasite but not to its fish hosts. Also, a catalog of surface protein-encoding genes will facilitate development of more effective vaccines. The potential to use T. thermophila as a surrogate model offers promise toward controlling 'white spot' disease and understanding the adaptation to a parasitic lifestyle