Radio source counts at 30 GHz

We observe 1,377 NVSS point sources with the Green Bank Telescope (GBT) and Caltech Continuum Backend (CCB) at 31.25 GHz. We find the GBT+CCB provides 0.500 mJy rms sensitivity and a 28 arcsec FWHM beam in a 3.5 GHz band centered on 31.25 GHz. We combine these data with observations of 2,225 point sources by the Owens Valley Radio Observatory 40 m (rms sensitivity 2.5 mJy) to provide the most accurate present determination of the contribution of point sources to 1 cm wavelength cosmic microwave background measurements at small scales (< 5 arcmin). Point sources are the most significant contaminant of this signal, which is expected to be dominated by the Sunyaev-Zel’dovich effect from large galaxy clusters, and has been thus far hinted at, but not yet confirmed by, the Cosmic Background Imager

Leveraging Online Learning Resources to Teach Core Research Skills to Undergraduates at a Diverse Research University

Int J Exerc Sci 3(2) : 49-54, 2010. Today’s students have unique learning needs and lack knowledge of core research skills. In this program report, we describe an online approach that we developed to teach core research skills to freshman and sophomore undergraduates. Specifically, we used two undergraduate kinesiology (KIN) courses designed to target students throughout campus (KIN1304: Public Health Issues in Physical Activity and Obesity) and specifically kinesiology majors (KIN1252: Foundations of Kinesiology). Our program was developed and validated at the 2nd largest ethnically diverse research university in the United States, thus we believe that it would be effective in a variety of student populations

Characteristics of EGRET Blazars in the VLBA Imaging and Polarimetry Survey (VIPS)

We examine the radio properties of EGRET-detected blazars observed as part of the VLBA Imaging and Polarimetry Survey (VIPS). VIPS has a flux limit roughly an order of magnitude below the MOJAVE survey and most other samples that have been used to study the properties of EGRET blazars. At lower flux levels, radio flux density does not directly correlate with gamma-ray flux density. We do find that the EGRET-detected blazars tend to have higher brightness temperatures, greater core fractions, and possibly larger than average jet opening angles. A weak correlation is also found with jet length and with polarization. All of the well-established trends can be explained by systematically larger Doppler factors in the gamma-ray loud blazars, consistent with the measurements of higher apparent velocities found in monitoring programs carried out at radio frequencies above 10 GHz.Comment: 20 pages, 7 figures, accepted to Ap

Celebrity culture and public connection: bridge or chasm?

Media and cultural research has an important contribution to make to recent debates about declines in democratic engagement: is for example celebrity culture a route into democratic engagement for those otherwise disengaged? This article contributes to this debate by reviewing qualitative and quantitative findings from a UK project on 'public connection'. Using self-produced diaries (with in-depth multiple interviews) as well as a nationwide survey, the authors argue that while celebrity culture is an important point of social connection sustained by media use, it is not linked in citizens' own accounts to issues of public concern. Survey data suggest that those who particularly follow celebrity culture are the least engaged in politics and least likely to use their social networks to involve themselves in action or discussion about public-type issues. This does not mean 'celebrity culture' is 'bad', but it challenges suggestions of how popular culture might contribute to effective democracy

From scaling up to sustainability in HIV: potential lessons for moving forward

Background: In 30 years of experience in responding to the HIV epidemic, critical decisions and program characteristics for successful scale-up have been studied. Now leaders face a new challenge: sustaining large-scale HIV prevention programs. Implementers, funders, and the communities served need to assess what strategies and practices of scaling up are also relevant for sustaining delivery at scale. Methods: We reviewed white and gray literature to identify domains central to scaling-up programs and reviewed HIV case studies to identify how these domains might relate to sustaining delivery at scale. Results: We found 10 domains identified as important for successfully scaling up programs that have potential relevance for sustaining delivery at scale: fiscal support; political support; community involvement, integration, buy-in, and depth; partnerships; balancing flexibility/adaptability and standardization; supportive policy, regulatory, and legal environment; building and sustaining strong organizational capacity; transferring ownership; decentralization; and ongoing focus on sustainability. We identified one additional potential domain important for programs sustaining delivery at scale: emphasizing equity. Conclusions: Today, the public and private sector are examining their ability to generate value for populations. All stakeholders are aiming to stem the tide of the HIV epidemic. Implementers need a framework to guide the evolution of their strategies and management practices. Greater research is needed to refine the domains for policy and program implementers working to sustain HIV program delivery at scale

The Robinson Gravitational Wave Background Telescope (BICEP): a bolometric large angular scale CMB polarimeter

The Robinson Telescope (BICEP) is a ground-based millimeter-wave bolometric array designed to study the polarization of the cosmic microwave background radiation (CMB) and galactic foreground emission. Such measurements probe the energy scale of the inflationary epoch, tighten constraints on cosmological parameters, and verify our current understanding of CMB physics. Robinson consists of a 250-mm aperture refractive telescope that provides an instantaneous field-of-view of 17 degrees with angular resolution of 55 and 37 arcminutes at 100 GHz and 150 GHz, respectively. Forty-nine pair of polarization-sensitive bolometers are cooled to 250 mK using a 4He/3He/3He sorption fridge system, and coupled to incoming radiation via corrugated feed horns. The all-refractive optics is cooled to 4 K to minimize polarization systematics and instrument loading. The fully steerable 3-axis mount is capable of continuous boresight rotation or azimuth scanning at speeds up to 5 deg/s. Robinson has begun its first season of observation at the South Pole. Given the measured performance of the instrument along with the excellent observing environment, Robinson will measure the E-mode polarization with high sensitivity, and probe for the B-modes to unprecedented depths. In this paper we discuss aspects of the instrument design and their scientific motivations, scanning and operational strategies, and the results of initial testing and observations.Comment: 18 pages, 11 figures. To appear in Millimeter and Submillimeter Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy III, Proceedings of SPIE, 6275, 200

Deficiency in Nrf2 transcription factor decreases adipose tissue mass and hepatic lipid accumulation in leptin‐deficient mice

Objective: To evaluate whether Nrf2 deficiency impacts insulin resistance and lipid accumulation in liver and white adipose tissue. Methods: Lepob/ob mice (OB) with targeted Nrf2 deletion (OB‐Nrf2KO) were generated. Pathogenesis of obesity and type 2 diabetes was measured in C57BL/6J, Nrf2KO, OB, and OB‐Nrf2KO mice. Hepatic lipid content, lipid clearance, and very low‐density lipoprotein (VLDL) secretion were determined between OB and OB‐Nrf2KO mice. Results: OB‐Nrf2KO mice exhibited decreased white adipose tissue mass and decreased adipogenic and lipogenic gene expression compared with OB mice. Nrf2 deficiency prolonged hyperglycemia in response to glucose challenge, which was paralleled by reduced insulin‐stimulated Akt phosphorylation. In OB mice, Nrf2 deficiency decreased hepatic lipid accumulation, decreased peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor γ expression and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) content, and enhanced VLDL secretion. However, this observation was opposite in lean mice. Additionally, OB‐Nrf2KO mice exhibited increased plasma triglyceride content, decreased HDL‐cholesterol content, and enhanced apolipoprotein B expression, suggesting Nrf2 deficiency caused dyslipidemia in these mice. Conclusions: Nrf2 deficiency in Lepob/ob mice reduced white adipose tissue mass and prevented hepatic lipid accumulation but induced insulin resistance and dyslipidemia. This study indicates a dual role of Nrf2 during metabolic dysregulation—increasing lipid accumulation in liver and white adipose tissue but preventing lipid accumulation in obese mice