Search for Oxygen Emission from Warm-Hot Intergalactic Medium around A2218 with Suzaku

We searched for redshifted O emission lines from the possible warm-hot intergalactic medium (WHIM) surrounding the cluster of galaxies A2218 at z=0.1756 using the XIS instrument on Suzaku. This cluster is thought to have an elongated structure along the line of sight based on previous studies. We studied systematic uncertainties in the spectrum of the Galactic emission and in the soft X-ray response of the detectors due to the contamination building up on the XIS filters. We detected no significant redshifted O lines, and set a tight constraint on the intensity with upper limits for the surface brightness of OVII and OVIII lines of 1.1 x 10^-7 and 3.0 x 10^-7 photons cm^-2 s^-1 arcmin^-2, respectively. These upper limits are significantly lower than the previously reported fluxes from the WHIM around other clusters of galaxies. We also discuss the prospect for the detection of the WHIM lines with Suzaku XIS in the future.Comment: 12 pages, 13 figures. Accepted for publication in PASJ Suzaku special issue (Vol.59, No.SP1

The Influences of Social Identities and Resource Competition on Blacks\u27 and Asians\u27 Social Distance: A Virtual World Method

Blacks and Asians experience greater social distance from one another relative to each groups\u27 social distance towards Whites (e.g. Weaver, 2008). This research tested theory that suggests that social distance results when one group perceives themselves to be the more rightful proprietor of resources (Blumer, 1958). The racialization (i.e., stereotype) of Blacks as more Native to the U.S. compared to Asians, and the racialization of Asians as more Meritorious compared to Blacks, may be the bases for which each group feels a sense of proprietary right to resources. Researchers have also found that social distance may decrease when group members define themselves in relation to broader and more inclusive in-groups (Gaertner & Dovidio, 2005). Thus, we also considered the effect of Person of Color Identity on Black and Asian social distance. In this study, we hosted 15-minute social events inside the virtual world Second Life that simulated two types of resource competition: one privileging Nativity and one privileging Merit. A Utopian condition, in which no resource competition was present, was included for comparison. Self-identified Black (n = 39), Asian (n = 53), and White (n = 119) participants created self-resembling avatars and interacted in the social events while a computer script tracked their coordinates and proximity to each other. Participants\u27 average social distance towards each out-group were computed separately for three time periods (the first, middle, and last 5 minutes of the event) in order to examine changes in social distance over time. Person of Color Identity salience was measured via Likert-scaled survey questions administered at the end of the study. Repeated measures analysis determined that for all participants, social distance significantly decreased over time in the Utopian condition, and significantly increased over time in the Merit condition. Hierarchical Liner Modeling determined that Asians social distance to Blacks was significantly higher in time 3 of the Merit condition than time 3 of the Utopian condition, above and beyond the general pattern of social distance. Person of Color Identity was not related to social distance. Implications for theory on resource competition for Blacks and Asians social distance and virtual world research are discussed

Construals of self and group: How racial nominalism can promote adaptive intergroup outcomes for interdependent selves

Previous research has found that interdependent self-construals are related to poorer intergroup outcomes. Here we examine interdependent self-construal specifically in relation to comfort in contexts in which people are a numeric minority (i.e., outgroup comfort), and also examine the moderating roles of racial nominalism and racial essentialism. Among a racially diverse sample ( N = 577), interdependent self-construals were related to more outgroup comfort. Two dimensions of racial nominalism—humanist and sociopolitical—were established with exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Humanist, sociopolitical, and essentialist beliefs about race were examined as moderators of the interdependent self-construal and outgroup comfort relationship. Among participants of color with higher sociopolitical beliefs, and unexpectedly among participants with higher essentialist beliefs, interdependent self-construal was more positively related to outgroup comfort. Findings are discussed in relation to theory on self- and group-level construals, and in relation to the role of multicultural education for fostering sociopolitical beliefs about race

sj-docx-1-raj-10.1177_21533687221127448 - Supplemental material for Cognitive and Affective Precursors to Decisions to use Lethal Force Against Black Suspects: A Virtual Reality Application

Supplemental material, sj-docx-1-raj-10.1177_21533687221127448 for Cognitive and Affective Precursors to Decisions to use Lethal Force Against Black Suspects: A Virtual Reality Application by John Tawa, Yuanguo Lang, and Maryam M. Jernigan in Race and Justice</p

A method for collecting and interpreting interpersonal behavioral data in Second Life: A sample study on Asians’, Blacks’, and Whites’ social distances

In this paper, we describe a method for collecting and interpreting interpersonal behavioral data in the Virtual World, Second Life. To illustrate this method we provide details for the implementation of a study on social distances between Black, White, and Asian participants in Second Life. Participants’ avatars were fitted with a virtual object containing a computer script that recorded their coordinates on the Second Life grid at one-second intervals. Participants interacted at a social event in a controlled environment in Second Life for 15 minutes. A computer algorithm (developed for this study in the statistical analysis program, R) was used to calculate each participant’s average social distance from one another across the 15-minute event. Average social distance scores were then aggregated into social distance towards racial groups as a whole (i.e., each participants’ social distance towards Blacks, Whites, and Asians). This paper provides details for researchers interested in adopting or modifying our Virtual World method for interpersonal behavioral data collection and interpretation. Specifically we focus on the development of a controlled Second Life environment, the adaptation of a Second Life computer script (adapted from Yee &amp; Bailenson, 2008), the computer algorithm for calculating social distances, and our methods for recruiting and conducting study trials

Transcriptional profiling of canine osteosarcoma identifies prognostic gene expression signatures with translational value for humans

Abstract Canine osteosarcoma is increasingly recognized as an informative model for human osteosarcoma. Here we show in one of the largest clinically annotated canine osteosarcoma transcriptional datasets that two previously reported, as well as de novo gene signatures devised through single sample Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (ssGSEA), have prognostic utility in both human and canine patients. Shared molecular pathway alterations are seen in immune cell signaling and activation including TH1 and TH2 signaling, interferon signaling, and inflammatory responses. Virtual cell sorting to estimate immune cell populations within canine and human tumors showed similar trends, predominantly for macrophages and CD8+ T cells. Immunohistochemical staining verified the increased presence of immune cells in tumors exhibiting immune gene enrichment. Collectively these findings further validate naturally occurring osteosarcoma of the pet dog as a translationally relevant patient model for humans and improve our understanding of the immunologic and genomic landscape of the disease in both species

Systems Level Analysis and Identification of Pathways and Networks Associated with Liver Fibrosis

<div><p>Toxic liver injury causes necrosis and fibrosis, which may lead to cirrhosis and liver failure. Despite recent progress in understanding the mechanism of liver fibrosis, our knowledge of the molecular-level details of this disease is still incomplete. The elucidation of networks and pathways associated with liver fibrosis can provide insight into the underlying molecular mechanisms of the disease, as well as identify potential diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers. Towards this end, we analyzed rat gene expression data from a range of chemical exposures that produced observable periportal liver fibrosis as documented in DrugMatrix, a publicly available toxicogenomics database. We identified genes relevant to liver fibrosis using standard differential expression and co-expression analyses, and then used these genes in pathway enrichment and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analyses. We identified a PPI network module associated with liver fibrosis that includes known liver fibrosis-relevant genes, such as tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1, galectin-3, connective tissue growth factor, and lipocalin-2. We also identified several new genes, such as perilipin-3, legumain, and myocilin, which were associated with liver fibrosis. We further analyzed the expression pattern of the genes in the PPI network module across a wide range of 640 chemical exposure conditions in DrugMatrix and identified early indications of liver fibrosis for carbon tetrachloride and lipopolysaccharide exposures. Although it is well known that carbon tetrachloride and lipopolysaccharide can cause liver fibrosis, our network analysis was able to link these compounds to potential fibrotic damage before histopathological changes associated with liver fibrosis appeared. These results demonstrated that our approach is capable of identifying early-stage indicators of liver fibrosis and underscore its potential to aid in predictive toxicity, biomarker identification, and to generally identify disease-relevant pathways.</p></div