Placing the university: thinking in and beyond globalization

In some respects, the impact of globalization on universities is well rehearsed (competition for international students; the drive for status in global rankings; the opening of overseas campuses; the dream of massive open online courses and other forms of digital education), but the relationship between universities as place-based institutions and globalization is less well understood. It is on that this chapter focuses. Drawing on work undertaken as part of an Economic and Social Research Council project (“Higher Education and Regional Social Transformation”) the author sets the arguments in a wider context. He explores the extent to which and ways in which universities have become key players in the reimagination of their city regions in a (neoliberal) global context. As well as reflecting on the wider public (and local) role of universities, he also considers how universities use the tools available to them to position themselves effectively as successful businesses within the new world in which they find themselves

Polar phonons and intrinsic dielectric response of the ferromagnetic insulating spinel CdCr2_2S4_4 from first principles

We have studied the dielectric properties of the ferromagnetic spinel CdCr$_2$S$_4$ from first principles. Zone-center phonons and Born effective charges were calculated by frozen-phonon and Berry phase techniques within LSDA+U. We find that all infrared-active phonons are quite stable within the cubic space group. The calculated static dielectric constant agrees well with previous measurements. These results suggest that the recently observed anomalous dielectric behavior in CdCr$_2$S$_4$ is not due to the softening of a polar mode. We suggest further experiments to clarify this point

Report of the direct infrared sensors panel

The direct infrared sensors panel considered a wide range of options for technologies relevant to the science goals of the Astrotech 21 mission set. Among the technologies assessed are: large format arrays; photon counting detectors; higher temperature 1 to 10 micro-m arrays; impurity band conduction (IBC) or blocked impurity band (BIB) detectors; readout electronics; and adapting the Space Infrared Telescope Facility and Hubble Space Telescope. Detailed development plans were presented for each of these technology areas

Lattice-spring modeling of graphite accounting for pore size distribution

Lattice models allow length scale dependent micro-structural features and damage mechanisms to be incorporated into analyses of mechanical behaviour. They are particularly suitable for modelling the fracture of nuclear graphite, where porosity generates local failures upon mechanical and thermal loading. Our recent 3D site-bond model is extended here by representing bonds with spring groups. Experimentally measured distributions of pore sizes in graphite are used to generate models with pores assigned to the bonds. Microscopic damage is represented by failure of normal and shear springs with different criteria based on force and pore size. Macroscopic damage is analysed for several loading cases. It is shown that, apart from uniaxial loading, the development of micro-failures yields damage-induced anisotropy in the material. This needs to be accounted for in constitutive laws for graphite behaviour in FEA of cracked reactor structures.</jats:p

Iron Is Filtered by the Kidney and Is Reabsorbed by the Proximal Tubule

From Frontiers via Jisc Publications RouterHistory: collection 2021, received 2021-07-13, accepted 2021-08-30, epub 2021-09-30Publication status: PublishedThe aim of this study was to determine the iron (Fe) concentration profile within the lumen of the S2 renal proximal convoluted tubule (PCT) and to resolve whether this nephron segment transported Fe. To do this, we performed in vivo renal micropuncture on Wistar rats, collected PCT tubular fluid from superficial nephrons, and measured Fe concentration. The Fe concentration profile along the S2 PCT suggested significant Fe reabsorption. Proximal tubules were also microperfused in vivo with physiological solutions containing Fe and Zn, Cu, Mn, or Cd. PCTs perfused with 12μmol.l−1 55FeCl3 reabsorbed 105.2±12.7 fmol.mm−1.min−1 Fe, 435±52pmol.mm-1.min−1 Na, and 2.7±0.2nl.mm−1.min−1 water (mean ± SEM; n=19). Addition of ascorbate (1mmol.l−1) to the perfusate did not significantly alter Fe, Na, or water reabsorption. Supplementing the control perfusate with 60μmol.l−1 FeSO4 significantly decreased 55Fe uptake. Recalculating for the altered molar activity following addition of unlabeled Fe revealed a three-fold increase in Fe flux. Addition to the perfusate 12μmol.l−1 CuSO4, MnSO4, CdSO4, or ZnSO4 did not affect Fe, Na, or water flux. In conclusion, (1) in vivo, S2 PCTs of rat reabsorb Fe and (2) Fe is reabsorbed along the PCT via a pathway that is insensitive to Cu, Mn, Cd, or Zn. Together, these data demonstrate for the first time the hitherto speculated process of renal Fe filtration and subsequent tubular Fe reabsorption in a living mammal