Does Broadband Access Impact Population Growth in Rural America?

Population growth, Broadband, Spatial econometric, Average treatment effects, Community/Rural/Urban Development,

THE STRUGGLE FOR BROADBAND IN RURAL AMERICA

Broadband, Digital Divide, Economic Development, Infrastructure, Rural Development, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies, L96, R11, R58,

Jayavarmin VII: Achieving Kingship

Jayavarmin VII (r. 1181-1218) exemplifies the nature of achieving divine kingship through his life achievements modeled after the life of Buddha. He was viewed by many as a divine-like figure, through his acts of philanthropy and good deeds for the city. Through this philosophy, Jayavarmin VII facilitated the construction of hospitals, several roads and rest houses. The height of Jayavarmin’s reign was during the construction of the Bayon Temple. By this time, Jayavarmin VII believed he had completed his journey to kingship. This is shown through the massive faces carved in the temple representing either Jayavarmin or Buddha himself. From our research, not many scholars have connected the aspirations of Jayavarmin VII to the artifacts he left behind. Our group will study how Jayavarmin VII achieved kingship by analyzing three artifacts, including a hospital, the Bayon temple itself and an idol of Buddha, each pertaining to his conquest for kingship and also by looking at other artifacts that are relevant to kingship in other Angkor Temples

Systematic bias in real-world tonometry readings based on laterality?

AIMS: In research settings, the first eye examined tends to have a higher intraocular pressure (IOP) than the second. We sought to verify whether clinicians in Yorkshire, UK, measure IOP in right eyes before left and whether such behavioural factors affect IOP readings at the population level. METHODS: We observed 128 IOP measurements taken by 28 ophthalmologists using Goldmann applanation tonometry (GAT) over a 4-month period in 2018, recording which eye was examined first. All IOP measurements on electronic patient records for Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, UK, between January 2002 and June 2017 were extracted, yielding IOP readings for 562,360 eyes, analysed for evidence of systematic bias in IOP measurement. RESULTS: Right eye IOP was measured before left in 112/128 observations (87.5% (95% CI: 75.2%-94.2%)). For IOP measured by GAT, there was no statistically significant difference (p = 0.121) between right and left eye IOP (mean IOP 16.95 and 16.96 mmHg, respectively). Even values of IOP were reported more frequently than odd values (136,503/214,628 (63.6%) were even). Identical IOP readings for both eyes were recorded in 124,392/254,380 patients (48.9%) who had both eyes measured. CONCLUSIONS: Our study found no IOP difference based on laterality, but strong evidence of certain trends associated with IOP measurement by GAT, such as a preference for even values and the same IOP being recorded for both left and right eyes. Such effects may be explained by behavioural aspects of GAT and suggest that there are substantial opportunities for improvement in the way GAT is utilised in real world settings

Amazing Americana!

Program listing performers and works performe

Species-Specific Structural Requirements of Alpha-Branched Trehalose Diester Mincle Agonists

Despite the ever present need for an effective Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) vaccine, efforts for development have been largely unsuccessful. Correlates of immune protection against Mtb are not wholly defined, but Th1 and likely Th17 adaptive immune responses have been demonstrated to be necessary for vaccine-mediated protection. Unfortunately, no approved adjuvants are able to drive a Th17 response, though recent clinical trials with CAF01 have demonstrated proof of concept. Herein we present the discovery and characterization of a new class of potential Th17-inducing vaccine adjuvants, alpha-branched trehalose diester molecules (αTDE). Based off the Mtb immunostimulatory component trehalose dimycolate (TDM), we synthesized and evaluated the immunostimulatory capacity of a library of structural derivatives. We evaluated the structure activity relationship of the compounds in relation to chain length and engagement of the Mincle receptor, production of innate cytokines from human and murine cells, and a pro-Th17 cytokine profile from primary human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Murine cells displayed more structural tolerance, engaging and responding to a wide array of compound chain lengths. Interestingly, human cells displayed a unique specificity for ester chains between 5 and 14 carbons for maximal immune stimulating activity. Evaluation of two distinct αTDEs, B16 and B42, in concert with a recombinant Mtb antigen demonstrated their ability to augment a Th17 immune response against a Mtb antigen in vivo. Collectively this data describes the species-specific structural requirements for maximal human activity of alpha-branched trehalose diester compounds and demonstrates their capacity to serve as potent Th17-inducing adjuvants

P. falciparum and P. vivax Epitope-Focused VLPs Elicit Sterile Immunity to Blood Stage Infections

In order to design P. falciparum preerythrocytic vaccine candidates, a library of circumsporozoite (CS) T and B cell epitopes displayed on the woodchuck hepatitis virus core antigen (WHcAg) VLP platform was produced. To test the protective efficacy of the WHcAg-CS VLPs, hybrid CS P. berghei/P. falciparum (Pb/Pf) sporozoites were used to challenge immunized mice. VLPs carrying 1 or 2 different CS repeat B cell epitopes and 3 VLPs carrying different CS non-repeat B cell epitopes elicited high levels of anti-insert antibodies (Abs). Whereas, VLPs carrying CS repeat B cell epitopes conferred 98% protection of the liver against a 10,000 Pb/Pf sporozoite challenge, VLPs carrying the CS non-repeat B cell eptiopes were minimally-to-non-protective. One-to-three CS-specific CD4/CD8 T cell sites were also fused to VLPs, which primed CS-specific as well as WHcAg-specific T cells. However, a VLP carrying only the 3 T cell domains failed to protect against a sporozoite challenge, indicating a requirement for anti-CS repeat Abs. A VLP carrying 2 CS repeat B cell epitopes and 3 CS T cell sites in alum adjuvant elicited high titer anti-CS Abs (endpoint dilution titer \u3e1x106) and provided 80–100% protection against blood stage malaria. Using a similar strategy, VLPs were constructed carrying P. vivax CS repeat B cell epitopes (WHc-Pv-78), which elicited high levels of anti-CS Abs and conferred 99% protection of the liver against a 10,000 Pb/Pv sporozoite challenge and elicited sterile immunity to blood stage infection. These results indicate that immunization with epitope-focused VLPs carrying selected B and T cell epitopes from the P.falciparum and P. vivax CS proteins can elicit sterile immunity against blood stage malaria. Hybrid WHcAg-CS VLPs could provide the basis for a bivalent P. falciparum/P. vivax malaria vaccine

Evaluation of a proposal for reliable low-cost grid power with 100% wind, water, and solar

A number of analyses, meta-Analyses, and assessments, including those performed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and the International Energy Agency, have concluded that deployment of a diverse portfolio of clean energy technologies makes a transition to a low-carbon-emission energy system both more feasible and less costly than other pathways. In contrast, Jacobson et al. [Jacobson MZ, Delucchi MA, Cameron MA, Frew BA (2015) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 112(49):15060-15065] argue that it is feasible to provide low-cost solutions to the grid reliability problem with 100% penetration of WWS [wind, water and solar power] across all energy sectors in the continental United States between 2050 and 2055 , with only electricity and hydrogen as energy carriers. In this paper, we evaluate that study and find significant shortcomings in the analysis. In particular, we point out that this work used invalid modeling tools, contained modeling errors, and made implausible and inadequately supported assumptions. Policy makers should treat with caution any visions of a rapid, reliable, and low-cost transition to entire energy systems that relies almost exclusively on wind, solar, and hydroelectric power

The feasibility of collecting information from people with Multiple Sclerosis for the UK MS Register via a web portal: characterising a cohort of people with MS.

BACKGROUND: A UK Register of people with Multiple Sclerosis has been developed to address the need for an increased knowledge-base about MS. The Register is being populated via: a web-based portal; NHS neurology clinical systems; and administrative data sources. The data are de-identified and linked at the individual level. At the outset, it was not known whether people with MS would wish to participate in the UK MS Register by personally contributing their data to the Register via a web-based system. Therefore, the research aim of this work was to build an internet-mounted recruitment and consenting technology for people with Multiple Sclerosis, and to assess its feasibility as a questionnaire delivery platform to contribute data to the UK MS Register, by determining whether the information provided could be used to describe a cohort of people with MS. METHODS: The web portal was developed using VB.net and JQuery with a Microsoft SQL 2008 database. UK adults with MS can self-register and enter data about themselves by completing validated questionnaires. Descriptive statistics were used to characterise the respondents. RESULTS: The web portal was launched in May 2011, and in first three months 7,279 individuals registered on the portal. The ratio of men to women was 1:2.4 (n = 5,899), the mean self-reported age at first symptoms was 33.8 (SD 10.5) years, and at diagnosis 39.6 (SD 10.3) years (n = 4,401). The reported types of MS were: 15% primary progressive, 63% relapsing-remitting, 8% secondary progressive, and 14% unknown (n = 5,400). These characteristics are similar to those of the prevalent MS population. Employment rates, sickness/disability rates, ethnicity and educational qualifications were compared with the general UK population. Information about the respondents' experience of early symptoms and the process of diagnosis, plus living arrangements are also reported. CONCLUSIONS: These initial findings from the MS Register portal demonstrate the feasibility of collecting data about people with MS via a web platform, and show that sufficient information can be gathered to characterise a cohort of people with MS. The innovative design of the UK MS register, bringing together three disparate sources of data, is creating a rich resource for research into this condition

Aqueous batteries as grid scale energy storage solutions

Energy storage technologies are required to make full use of renewable energy sources, and electrochemical cells offer a great deal flexibility in the design of energy systems. For large scale electrochemical storage to be viable, the materials employed and device production methods need to be low cost, devices should be long lasting and safety during operation is of utmost importance. Energy and power densities are of lesser concern. For these reasons, battery chemistries that make use of aqueous electrolytes are favorable candidates where large quantities of energy need to be stored. Herein we describe several different aqueous based battery chemistries and identify some of the research challenges currently hindering their wider adoption. Lead acid batteries represent a mature technology that currently dominates the battery market, however there remain challenges that may prevent their future use at the large scale. Nickel–iron batteries have received a resurgence of interest of late and are known for their long cycle lives and robust nature however improvements in efficiency are needed in order to make them competitive. Other technologies that use aqueous electrolytes and have the potential to be useful in future large-scale applications are briefly introduced. Recent investigations in to the design of nickel–iron cells are reported with it being shown that electrolyte decomposition can be virtually eliminated by employing relatively large concentrations of iron sulfide in the electrode mixture, however this is at the expense of capacity and cycle life