Community in the Telepresence Classroom

We have been conducting surveys of our telepresence students at MSU since the spring of 2014. Initially (with our colleague Candace Raskin), we focused on students in our Educational Leadership Department; we subsequently extended our study to students in telepresence courses across campus. Our goal throughout has been to better understand how students experience telepresence courses and how we might improve the way in which we teach them. Here, we describe our findings thus far and offer a few recommendations for improving the student experience in telepresence courses

Comparison of Two Trap Net Designs for Sampling Muskellunge

Sampling adequate numbers of muskellunge (Esox masquinongy) is necessary to evaluate stocking success and to collect information on various population metrics (e.g., growth, condition, relative abundance). However, muskellunge are often difficult to sample with standard fish sampling gears. We collected muskellunge in trap nets of two different designs (large trap nets [1.5-m × 1.8-m frames, 1.5-m diameter hoops, double throated, single 1.5-m × 30.5-m lead and 19-mm knotless mesh] and small trap nets [0.9-m × 1.5-m frames, 0.9-m diameter hoops, single throat, single 0.9-m × 15.2-m lead and 19-mm knotted mesh]. We also estimated abundance of muskellunge (\u3e600 mm total length) in three eastern South Dakota waters using marked and recaptured fish collected from the trap net comparisons. Sampling with both large and small trap nets was completed during thespring of 2013 and 2014 soon after ice-out. More muskellunge were collected in large than small trap nets at all three lakes. Mean total lengths of muskellunge did not differ significantly between large and small trap nets; however, length-frequency distribu- tions did differ between net designs. Regardless of trap net design, a small number of muskellunge were collected, likely due to low abundance (population range = 0.10 fish/ha to 0.47 fish/ha) in these populations. Thus, long-term monitoring is necessary to accurately assess populations and associated trends. Sampling with large trap nets during the spring combined with population estimates may improve the ability to monitor and manage muskellunge when compared to sampling with small trap nets

Genome-wide sequence and functional analysis of early replicating DNA in normal human fibroblasts

BACKGROUND: The replication of mammalian genomic DNA during the S phase is a highly coordinated process that occurs in a programmed manner. Recent studies have begun to elucidate the pattern of replication timing on a genomic scale. Using a combination of experimental and computational techniques, we identified a genome-wide set of the earliest replicating sequences. This was accomplished by first creating a cosmid library containing DNA enriched in sequences that replicate early in the S phase of normal human fibroblasts. Clone ends were then sequenced and aligned to the human genome. RESULTS: By clustering adjacent or overlapping early replicating clones, we identified 1759 "islands" averaging 100 kb in length, allowing us to perform the most detailed analysis to date of DNA characteristics and genes contained within early replicating DNA. Islands are enriched in open chromatin, transcription related elements, and Alu repetitive elements, with an underrepresentation of LINE elements. In addition, we found a paucity of LTR retroposons, DNA transposon sequences, and an enrichment in all classes of tandem repeats, except for dinucleotides. CONCLUSION: An analysis of genes associated with islands revealed that nearly half of all genes in the WNT family, and a number of genes in the base excision repair pathway, including four of ten DNA glycosylases, were associated with island sequences. Also, we found an overrepresentation of members of apoptosis-associated genes in very early replicating sequences from both fibroblast and lymphoblastoid cells. These data suggest that there is a temporal pattern of replication for some functionally related genes

Re-establishment of gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) between human endometrial carcinomas by prostaglandin E2

Reduced intercellular communication via gap junctions is correlated with carcinogenesis. Gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC), between normal human endometrial epithelial cells is enhanced when endometrial stromal cells were present in culture. This enhancement of GJIC between normal epithelial cells also occurs when they are cultured in medium conditioned by stromal cells. This observation indicated that a soluble compound (or compounds) produced and secreted by stromal cells mediates GJIC in epithelial cells. Previous studies have shown that endometrial stromal cells release prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) under physiological conditions. When we evaluated the response of normal endometrial epithelial cells to various concentrations of PGE2, we found enhanced GJIC with 1 nM PGE2. This is a smaller increase in GJIC than that induced by medium conditioned by stromal cells. When the extracellular concentration of PGE2 was measured after incubation with stromal cells, it was found to be similar to the concentrations showing maximal GJIC between the normal epithelial cells. When indomethecin was used to inhibit prostaglandin synthesis by stromal cells, GJIC was reduced but not eliminated between normal endometrial epithelial cells. These observations suggest that although PGE2 secreted by stromal cells is an important mediator of GJIC between the epithelial cells, it is not the sole mediator. Transformed endometrial epithelial cells did not demonstrate GJIC even in the presence of stromal cells. However, we were able to re-establish GJIC in transformed epithelial cells when we added PGE2 to the cells. Our findings show that PGE2 may serve as an intercellular mediator between stromal and epithelial cells that regulates GJIC in normal and malignant epithelial cells. This suggests that maintenance of GJIC by preserving or replacing PGE2 secretion by endometrial stromal cells may have the potential to suppress carcinogenesis in endometrial epithelial cells

Far Infrared and Submillimeter Emission from Galactic and Extragalactic Photo-Dissociation Regions

Photodissociation Region (PDR) models are computed over a wide range of physical conditions, from those appropriate to giant molecular clouds illuminated by the interstellar radiation field to the conditions experienced by circumstellar disks very close to hot massive stars. These models use the most up-to-date values of atomic and molecular data, the most current chemical rate coefficients, and the newest grain photoelectric heating rates which include treatments of small grains and large molecules. In addition, we examine the effects of metallicity and cloud extinction on the predicted line intensities. Results are presented for PDR models with densities over the range n=10^1-10^7 cm^-3 and for incident far-ultraviolet radiation fields over the range G_0=10^-0.5-10^6.5, for metallicities Z=1 and 0.1 times the local Galactic value, and for a range of PDR cloud sizes. We present line strength and/or line ratio plots for a variety of useful PDR diagnostics: [C II] 158 micron, [O I] 63 and 145 micron, [C I] 370 and 609 micron, CO J=1-0, J=2-1, J=3-2, J=6-5 and J=15-14, as well as the strength of the far-infrared continuum. These plots will be useful for the interpretation of Galactic and extragalactic far infrared and submillimeter spectra observable with ISO, SOFIA, SWAS, FIRST and other orbital and suborbital platforms. As examples, we apply our results to ISO and ground based observations of M82, NGC 278, and the Large Magellenic Cloud.Comment: 54 pages, 20 figures, accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journa

Finite-Connectivity Spin-Glass Phase Diagrams and Low Density Parity Check Codes

We obtain phase diagrams of regular and irregular finite connectivity spin-glasses. Contact is firstly established between properties of the phase diagram and the performances of low density parity check codes (LDPC) within the Replica Symmetric (RS) ansatz. We then study the location of the dynamical and critical transition of these systems within the one step Replica Symmetry Breaking theory (RSB), extending similar calculations that have been performed in the past for the Bethe spin-glass problem. We observe that, away from the Nishimori line, in the low temperature region, the location of the dynamical transition line does change within the RSB theory, in comparison with the (RS) case. For LDPC decoding over the binary erasure channel we find, at zero temperature and rate R=1/4 an RS critical transition point located at p_c = 0.67 while the critical RSB transition point is located at p_c = 0.7450, to be compared with the corresponding Shannon bound 1-R. For the binary symmetric channel (BSC) we show that the low temperature reentrant behavior of the dynamical transition line, observed within the RS ansatz, changes within the RSB theory; the location of the dynamical transition point occurring at higher values of the channel noise. Possible practical implications to improve the performances of the state-of-the-art error correcting codes are discussed.Comment: 21 pages, 15 figure

The Dark Molecular Gas

The mass of molecular gas in an interstellar cloud is often measured using line emission from low rotational levels of CO, which are sensitive to the CO mass, and then scaling to the assumed molecular hydrogen H_2 mass. However, a significant H_2 mass may lie outside the CO region, in the outer regions of the molecular cloud where the gas phase carbon resides in C or C+. Here, H_2 self-shields or is shielded by dust from UV photodissociation, where as CO is photodissociated. This H_2 gas is "dark" in molecular transitions because of the absence of CO and other trace molecules, and because H_2 emits so weakly at temperatures 10 K < T < 100 K typical of this molecular component. This component has been indirectly observed through other tracers of mass such as gamma rays produced in cosmic ray collisions with the gas and far-infrared/submillimeter wavelength dust continuum radiation. In this paper we theoretically model this dark mass and find that the fraction of the molecular mass in this dark component is remarkably constant (~ 0.3 for average visual extinction through the cloud with mean A_V ~ 8) and insensitive to the incident ultraviolet radiation field strength, the internal density distribution, and the mass of the molecular cloud as long as mean A_V, or equivalently, the product of the average hydrogen nucleus column and the metallicity through the cloud, is constant. We also find that the dark mass fraction increases with decreasing mean A_V, since relatively more molecular H_2 material lies outside the CO region in this case.Comment: 38 page, 11 figures, Accepted for Publication in ApJ, corrected citation and typo in Appendix

Phase Transitions in Chemisorbed Systems

Contains report on five research projects.Joint Services Electronics Program (Contract DAAG29-83-K-0003

Effects of Tibolone Metabolites on Human Endometrial Cell Lines in Co-culture

In human endometrium, cell proliferation is regulated by ovarian steroids through heterotypic interactions between stromal and epithelial cells populating this tissue. We tested the proliferative effects of tibolone and its metabolites using endometrial co-cultures that mimic the normal proliferative response to hormones. We found that both the Δ4-tibolone metabolite and the pure progestin ORG2058 counteract estradiol-driven epithelial cell proliferation. Surprisingly, the estrogen receptor binding 3-hydroxyl-metabolites of tibolone also counteracted estradiol-driven proliferation. Inhibition of proliferation by 3β-OH-tibolone was abrogated by low doses of the progesterone receptor antagonist mifepristone, This suggests that 3β-OH-tibolone is converted to a progestagenic metabolite. We found that the stromal cells used in the co-cultures express high levels of the ketosteroid dehydrogenase, AKR1C2, which is able to oxidize 3β-OH-tibolone back to tibolone. Thus the unexpected progestagenic effect of 3β-OH-tibolone in these co-cultures may be due to metabolic activity present in the stromal cells of the co-cultures

Temporal differences in DNA replication during the S phase using single fiber analysis of normal human fibroblasts and glioblastoma T98G cells

We have recently shown that replication forks pause near origins in normal human fibroblasts (NHF1-hTERT) but not glioblastoma T98G cells. This observation led us to question whether other differences in the replication program may exist between these cell types that may relate to their genetic integrity. To identify differences, we detected immunoflourescently the sequential incorporation of the nucleotide analogs IdU and CldU into replicating DNA at the start of every hour of a synchronized S phase. We then characterized the patterns of labeled replicating DNA tracks and quantified the percentages and lengths of the tracks found at these hourly intervals. From the directionality of labeling in single extended replicating DNA fibers, tracks were categorized as single bidirectional origins, unidirectional elongations, clusters of origins firing in tandem, or merging forks (terminations). Our analysis showed that the start of S phase is enriched in single bidirectional origins in NHF1-hTERT cells, followed by an increase in clustering during mid S phase and an increase in merging forks during late S phase. Early S phase in T98G cells also largely consisted of single bidirectional origin initiations; however, an increase in clustering was delayed until an hour later, and clusters were shorter in mid/late S phase than in NHF1-hTERT cells. The spike in merging forks also did not occur until an hour later in T98G cells. Our observations suggest models to explain the temporal replication of single and clustered origins, and suggest differences in the replication program in a normal and cancer cell line