260 research outputs found
Built to Change: Catalytic Capacity-Building in Nonprofit Organizations
Summarizes the results of a broad survey of programs, and business and nonprofit experts, in the field of organizational effectiveness
Taphonomic studies of fossil preservation in coarse-grained siliciclastic environments
Thesis: Ph. D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, February 2018.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references.Ediacaran and early Cambrian sandy and silty sediments commonly preserve microbial fossils and textures as well as the fossils of soft-bodied organisms. The rarity of similar fossils and textures in coarse-grained siliciclastic strata of the later Phanerozoic suggests that a taphonomic window facilitated this mode of fossil preservation. However, environmental and biological factors that promoted fossilization remain unclear. To experimentally identify mechanisms of preservation in siliciclastic sediments, cyanobacteria and soft tissues (scallop adductor muscles) were incubated in silica sand or clay minerals for up to two months. Clay mineral veneers coated both cyanobacterial filaments and the surfaces of soft tissues and were formed by two main processes: 1) the adhesion of fine particles from the sediment and 2) the precipitation of authigenic minerals. Photosynthetic, sheathed microorganisms were best preserved in the presence of high concentrations of dissolved silica (>0. 1 mM) and suspended fine particles (>5.6 mg/L) in solution. We showed that these organisms could be preserved in oxic environments and that the degradation of cyanobacteria by heterotrophic microorganisms was not necessary for fossilization. In contrast, soft tissues buried in sand/clay were preserved under anaerobic conditions and mineral veneers around them contained reduced iron. All scallops decayed in the presence of endogenous bacteria and the redox cycling of iron that included the microbial reduction of iron(III). We showed that the early precipitation of silica and the formation of microbial death masks is not critical for preservation. Additionally, when the degradation of soft tissues advanced within the first 15 to 30 days, all soft tissues decayed completely and left no morphological imprint. Taken together, these results show that the early microbial reduction of iron(III) present in sedimentary minerals and the formation of mineral veneers are critical for the preservation of organic material. The same processes may have facilitated the formation of exceptionally preserved fossils and textures throughout the Ediacaran and early Cambrian. Future studies should focus on the roles of iron redox cycling, sediment composition and microbial metabolisms in the preservation of soft tissues to better understand mechanisms for Ediacaran-style preservation in siliciclastic environments.by Sharon Audrey Newman.Ph. D
A longitudinal and comparative content analysis of Instagram fitness posts
Body dissatisfaction is among the most common mental health challenges experienced by women and has been identified as a risk factor for disordered eating. Research has found that exposure to social media images depicting thin, muscular bodies, often dubbed ‘fitspiration’, may contribute to body dissatisfaction. Image-centred social media platforms, such as Instagram, have rising popularity among adolescents and young adults. However, little is known about the content of images produced by different fitness-related sources, such as those from fitness brands compared with individual users, and how fitness content on social media is evolving over time. This study sought to determine whether Instagram content varied between female fitness influencers and brands and how this content changed between 2019 and 2021. A longitudinal content analysis was conducted on a sample of 400 Instagram images using a coding scheme developed specifically for this project. The scheme coded images for fit ideal body depiction, fitness focus, objectification, and sexualisation. Chi-square tests indicated that female fitness influencer content was more sexualised and portrayed more of the fit ideal, while fitness brands produced more Instagram content with a fitness focus. There were no significant overall longitudinal changes for any of the four key variables. However, when looking at longitudinal changes by account type, fitness-focused influencer content increased while fitness-focused brand content decreased over time. These findings highlight discernible differences in content produced by different Instagram account types. It points future research towards the consideration of potential moderating factors, such as account type, when exploring the impact of social media images on body image and mental health
Challenge of material haemocompatibility for microfluidic blood-contacting applications
Biological applications of microfluidics technology is beginning to expand beyond the original focus of diagnostics, analytics and organ-on-chip devices. There is a growing interest in the development of microfluidic devices for therapeutic treatments, such as extra-corporeal haemodialysis and oxygenation. However, the great potential in this area comes with great challenges. Haemocompatibility of materials has long been a concern for blood-contacting medical devices, and microfluidic devices are no exception. The small channel size, high surface area to volume ratio and dynamic conditions integral to microchannels contribute to the blood-material interactions. This review will begin by describing features of microfluidic technology with a focus on blood-contacting applications. Material haemocompatibility will be discussed in the context of interactions with blood components, from the initial absorption of plasma proteins to the activation of cells and factors, and the contribution of these interactions to the coagulation cascade and thrombogenesis. Reference will be made to the testing requirements for medical devices in contact with blood, set out by International Standards in ISO 10993-4. Finally, we will review the techniques for improving microfluidic channel haemocompatibility through material surface modifications—including bioactive and biopassive coatings—and future directions
A Critical Assessment of Stellar Mass Measurement Methods
In this paper we perform a comprehensive study of the main sources of random
and systematic errors in stellar mass measurement for galaxies using their
Spectral Energy Distributions (SEDs). We use mock galaxy catalogs with
simulated multi-waveband photometry (from U-band to mid-infrared) and known
redshift, stellar mass, age and extinction for individual galaxies. Given
different parameters affecting stellar mass measurement (photometric S/N
ratios, SED fitting errors, systematic effects, the inherent degeneracies and
correlated errors), we formulated different simulated galaxy catalogs to
quantify these effects individually. We studied the sensitivity of stellar mass
estimates to the codes/methods used, population synthesis models, star
formation histories, nebular emission line contributions, photometric
uncertainties, extinction and age. For each simulated galaxy, the difference
between the input stellar masses and those estimated using different simulation
catalogs, , was calculated and used to identify the most
fundamental parameters affecting stellar masses. We measured different
components of the error budget, with the results listed as follows: (1). no
significant bias was found among different codes/methods, with all having
comparable scatter; (2). A source of error is found to be due to photometric
uncertainties and low resolution in age and extinction grids; (3). The median
of stellar masses among different methods provides a stable measure of the mass
associated with any given galaxy; (4). The deviations in stellar mass strongly
correlate with those in age, with a weaker correlation with extinction; (5).
the scatter in the stellar masses due to free parameters are quantified, with
the sensitivity of the stellar mass to both the population synthesis codes and
inclusion of nebular emission lines studied.Comment: 33 pages, 20 Figures, Accepted for publication in Astrophysical
Journa
Assessment of a novel, capsid-modified adenovirus with an improved vascular gene transfer profile
<p>Background: Cardiovascular disorders, including coronary artery bypass graft failure and in-stent restenosis remain significant opportunities for the advancement of novel therapeutics that target neointimal hyperplasia, a characteristic of both pathologies. Gene therapy may provide a successful approach to improve the clinical outcome of these conditions, but would benefit from the development of more efficient vectors for vascular gene delivery. The aim of this study was to assess whether a novel genetically engineered Adenovirus could be utilised to produce enhanced levels of vascular gene expression.</p>
<p>Methods: Vascular transduction capacity was assessed in primary human saphenous vein smooth muscle and endothelial cells using vectors expressing the LacZ reporter gene. The therapeutic capacity of the vectors was compared by measuring smooth muscle cell metabolic activity and migration following infection with vectors that over-express the candidate therapeutic gene tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-3 (TIMP-3).</p>
<p>Results: Compared to Adenovirus serotype 5 (Ad5), the novel vector Ad5T*F35++ demonstrated improved binding and transduction of human vascular cells. Ad5T*F35++ mediated expression of TIMP-3 reduced smooth muscle cell metabolic activity and migration in vitro. We also demonstrated that in human serum samples pre-existing neutralising antibodies to Ad5T*F35++ were less prevalent than Ad5 neutralising antibodies.</p>
<p>Conclusions: We have developed a novel vector with improved vascular transduction and improved resistance to human serum neutralisation. This may provide a novel vector platform for human vascular gene transfer.</p>
CANDELS Multi-wavelength Catalogs: Source Detection and Photometry in the GOODS-South Field
We present a UV-to-mid infrared multi-wavelength catalog in the
CANDELS/GOODS-S field, combining the newly obtained CANDELS HST/WFC3 F105W,
F125W, and F160W data with existing public data. The catalog is based on source
detection in the WFC3 F160W band. The F160W mosaic includes the data from
CANDELS deep and wide observations as well as previous ERS and HUDF09 programs.
The mosaic reaches a 5 limiting depth (within an aperture of radius
0.17 arcsec) of 27.4, 28.2, and 29.7 AB for CANDELS wide, deep, and HUDF
regions, respectively. The catalog contains 34930 sources with the
representative 50% completeness reaching 25.9, 26.6, and 28.1 AB in the F160W
band for the three regions. In addition to WFC3 bands, the catalog also
includes data from UV (U-band from both CTIO/MOSAIC and VLT/VIMOS), optical
(HST/ACS F435W, F606W, F775W, F814W, and F850LP), and infrared (HST/WFC3 F098M,
VLT/ISAAC Ks, VLT/HAWK-I Ks, and Spitzer/IRAC 3.6, 4.5, 5.8, 8.0 m)
observations. The catalog is validated via stellar colors, comparison with
other published catalogs, zeropoint offsets determined from the best-fit
templates of the spectral energy distribution of spectroscopically observed
objects, and the accuracy of photometric redshifts. The catalog is able to
detect unreddened star-forming (passive) galaxies with stellar mass of
10^{10}M_\odot at a 50% completeness level to z3.4 (2.8), 4.6 (3.2), and
7.0 (4.2) in the three regions. As an example of application, the catalog is
used to select both star-forming and passive galaxies at z2--4 via the
Balmer break. It is also used to study the color--magnitude diagram of galaxies
at 0<z<4.Comment: The full resolution article is now published in ApJS (2013, 207, 24).
22 pages, 21 figures, and 5 tables. The catalogue is available on the CANDELS
website: http://candels.ucolick.org/data_access/GOODS-S.html MAST:
http://archive.stsci.edu/prepds/candels and Rainbow Database:
https://arcoiris.ucolick.org/Rainbow_navigator_public and
https://rainbowx.fis.ucm.es/Rainbow_navigator_publi
On The Detection Of Ionizing Radiation Arising From Star-Forming Galaxies At Redshift z ~ 3-4 : Looking For Analogs Of "Stellar Reionizers"
We use the spatially-resolved, multi-band photometry in the GOODS South field
acquired by the CANDELS project to constrain the nature of candidate Lyman
continuum (LyC) emitters at redshift z~3.7 identified using ultra-deep imaging
below the Lyman limit (1-sigma limit of ~30 AB in a 2" diameter aperture). In
18 candidates, out of a sample of 19 with flux detected at >3-sigma level, the
light centroid of the candidate LyC emission is offset from that of the LBG by
up to 1.5". We fit the SED of the LyC candidates to spectral population
synthesis models to measure photometric redshifts and the stellar population
parameters. We also discuss the differences in the UV colors between the LBG
and the LyC candidates, and how to estimate the escape fraction of ionizing
radiation (f_esc) in cases, like in most of our galaxies, where the LyC
emission is spatially offset from the host galaxy. In all but one case we
conclude that the candidate LyC emission is most likely due to lower redshift
interlopers. Based on these findings, we argue that the majority of similar
measurements reported in the literature need further investigation before it
can be firmly concluded that LyC emission is detected. Our only surviving LyC
candidate is a LBG at z=3.795, which shows the bluest (B-V) color among LBGs at
similar redshift, a stellar mass of M~2 x 10^9 Msun, weak interstellar
absorption lines and a flat UV spectral slope with no Lya in emission. We
estimate its f_esc to be in the range 25%-100%, depending on the dust and
intergalactic attenuation.Comment: Submitted to The Astrophysical Journal, 20 pages, 8 figures, 1 tabl
Star-forming Blue ETGs in Two Newly Discovered Galaxy Overdensities in the HUDF at z=1.84 and 1.9: Unveiling the Progenitors of Passive ETGs in Cluster Cores
We present the discovery of two galaxy overdensities in the Hubble Space Telescope UDF: a proto-cluster, HUDFJ0332.4-2746.6 at z=1.84 ± 0.01, and a group, HUDFJ0332.5-2747.3 at z=1.90 ± 0.01. Assuming viralization, the velocity dispersion of HUDFJ0332.4-2746.6 implies a mass of M_(200) = (2.2 ± 1.8) x 10^(14) M_☉, consistent with the lack of extended X-ray emission. Neither overdensity shows evidence of a red sequence. About of their members show interactions and/or disturbed morphologies, which are signatures of merger remnants or disk instability. Most of their ETGs have blue colors and show recent star formation. These observations reveal for the first time large fractions of spectroscopically confirmed star-forming blue ETGs in proto-clusters at ≈ z. These star-forming ETGs are most likely among the progenitors of the quiescent population in clusters at more recent epochs. Their mass–size relation is consistent with that of passive ETGs in clusters at z ~ 0.7-1.5. If these galaxies are the progenitors of cluster ETGs at these lower redshifts, their size would evolve according to a similar mass-size relation. It is noteworthy that quiescent ETGs in clusters at z = 1.8-2 also do not show any significant size evolution over this redshift range, contrary to field ETGs. The ETG fraction is ≾50%, compared to the typical quiescent ETG fraction of ≈80% in cluster cores at z < 1. The fraction, masses, and colors of the newly discovered ETGs imply that other cluster ETGs will be formed/accreted at a later time
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