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Rhesus cytomegalovirus-based (RhCMV-based) vaccine vectors induce immune responses that protect ~60% of rhesus macaques (RMs) from SIVmac239 challenge. This efficacy depends on induction of effector memory-based (EM-biased) CD8+ T cells recognizing SIV peptides presented by major histocompatibility complex-E (MHC-E) instead of MHC-Ia. The phenotype, durability, and efficacy of RhCMV/SIV-elicited cellular immune responses were maintained when vector spread was severely reduced by deleting the antihost intrinsic immunity factor phosphoprotein 71 (pp71). Here, we examined the impact of an even more stringent attenuation strategy on vector-induced immune protection against SIV. Fusion of the FK506-binding protein (FKBP) degradation domain to Rh108, the orthologue of the essential human CMV (HCMV) late gene transcription factor UL79, generated RhCMV/SIV vectors that conditionally replicate only when the FK506 analog Shield-1 is present. Despite lacking in vivo dissemination and reduced innate and B cell responses to vaccination, Rh108-deficient 68-1 RhCMV/SIV vectors elicited high-frequency, durable, EM-biased, SIV-specific T cell responses in RhCMV-seropositive RMs at doses of ≥ 1 × 106 PFU. Strikingly, elicited CD8+ T cells exclusively targeted MHC-Ia-restricted epitopes and failed to protect against SIVmac239 challenge. Thus, Rh108-dependent late gene expression is required for both induction of MHC-E-restricted T cells and protection against SIV.

In order to uptake of electric vehicles (EV) into last mile delivery, we recommend the deployment of a combination of novel and existing policies to both encourage widespread EV uptake and discourage the use of diesel-based freight through zero emission delivery zones and purchase subsidies. Our research is composed of three methods: Interviews, Quantitative Modeling, and Quantitative Modeling. The interviews and quantitative analysis revealed that the burden on delivery companies is greater than the social benefits such as GHG reductions due to the large investment in EVs. The effectiveness of the policy combination was also confirmed. Using the three criteria of Political Feasibility, Efficiency, and Equity, we evaluated the policies using the Criteria-Alternative Matrix and concluded that the voluntary ZEDZ is the most effective stand-alone policy. Since no one pollutant reducing policy can meet all criteria effectively we recommend packaging various policies together. Our model demonstrates that a combination of policies produce the highest results in decreasing costs and pollutant levels, particularly a combination of purchase subsidies and mandated ZEDZ. To better improve equity scores, we recommend cities consider adding purchase subsidies of freight electric vehicles to a ZEDZ program to offset costs businesses would incur, particularly small businesses transitioning to electric vehicle fleets. Mandated ZEDZ would add additional burdens on small businesses since these companies don’t have the capital to transform fleets.

The authors describe an undergraduate economics elective focused on the Great Recession and the recession resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. They have taught the course with great success at both liberal arts colleges and research universities and at all levels of the curriculum ranging from a first-year seminar to an upper-level elective. They present a roadmap for instructors interested in offering the class. Although intermediate macroeconomics is assumed as a prerequisite, the authors discuss how they have adapted the class for students with different backgrounds. The course is divided into seven units: the housing bubble and asset pricing, housing policy and history, propagation and panic, monetary policy, fiscal policy, aftermath and international perspectives, and the macroeconomics of COVID-19. Sample assignments and readings are both provided.

We describe changes in the comprehensiveness of services delivered by family physicians in 4 Canadian provinces (British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Nova Scotia) during the periods 1999-2000 and 2017-2018 and explore if changes differ by years in practice. We measured comprehensiveness using province-wide billing data across 7 settings (home, long-term care, emergency department, hospital, obstetrics, surgical assistance, anesthesiology) and 7 service areas (pre/postnatal care, Papanicolaou [Pap] testing, mental health, substance use, cancer care, minor surgery, palliative home visits). Comprehensiveness declined in all provinces, with greater changes in number of service settings than service areas. Decreases were no greater among new-to-practice physicians. Key words: comprehensive health care; scope of practice; primary care; family medicine; cohort effect; Canada https://doi.org/10.1370/afm.2945, INTRODUCTION Declining comprehensiveness of family physician practice has been documented across multiple jurisdictions, (1-8) with accompanying speculation that this is driven by lack of interest or inadequate training among more [...]

From 2012 to 2019, the proportion of undergraduate economics degrees denoted as "Econometrics and Quantitative Economics" (STEM-eligible) conferred annually increased from 1 percent to 22 percent. The authors present results from a survey of the 73 institutions conferring at least one STEM-eligible economics degree in 2017 or 2018. They find that most institutions (59%) offer both traditional and STEM-eligible degrees and report needing departmental, college/university committee, and provost/dean approval to (re-)classify. The main motivation for this change is maintaining consistency with an increasingly quantitative discipline (73%). The significant differences in requirements between STEM-eligible and traditional economics degrees are the proportion requiring single variable calculus (91% vs. 69%), multivariable calculus (70% vs. 31%), linear algebra (48% vs. 21%), basic econometrics (96% vs. 77%), and advanced econometrics (48% vs. 8%).

The authors of this article examine the potential for increased student learning and retention through more frequent assignments. They conduct a field experiment that investigates whether student knowledge retention can be improved by increasing the frequency of homework assignments, motivating students to have more exposure to the material, and reducing the incentives for students to procrastinate. They find that the impact of the treatment on student performance varies based on the student's past academic performance. Students on the lower end of the academic performance distribution benefit from the structure imposed by more frequent assignments and perform better. However, students with high prior academic performance are harmed by the intervention. The final exam scores of high-performing students are lower in courses with higher assignment frequency.

Sc0.18Al0.82N/GaN with state-of-the-art x-ray diffraction figures of merit grown by metal modulated epitaxy under metal-rich conditions and a low substrate temperature of 400 °C is demonstrated to have improved crystalline order [250 arc sec for the (0002) reflection and 469 arc sec for the (10 1 ¯ 5)] compared to a previous state-of-the-art sample grown at a more conventional temperature of 650 °C. While both samples show a columnar structure, the higher substrate temperature sample has a good symmetric rocking curve (RC) of 229 arc sec, but unlike the lower temperature sample, the RC of the (10 1 ¯ 5) asymmetric reflection could not be measured, indicating a more columnar structure common among ScAlN films. Local lattice constant maps (LLCMs) from 4D-STEM depict abrupt strain relaxation within ∼2 nm from the ScAlN/GaN interface for the sample grown at Tsub = 400 °C. Since these LLCMs suggest a lattice mismatch in the a-lattice constant, and since the films show a sudden roughening, the composition for lattice match to GaN may be less than the accepted 18%–20% Sc, consistent with the average GaN lattice match from lattice constant values reported in the literature of 12%. Compared to traditional III-Nitrides, ScAlN films have substantially more screw and mixed-type threading dislocations, suggesting substantial shear forces that result in significant twist and distortion leading to orthorhombic diffraction patterns as viewed from plan-view TEM in the Tsub = 650 °C sample. These results offer the possibility of ScAlN integration into low-thermal-budget processes including CMOS but further indicate that structural understanding of ScAlN remains lacking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we share the details of Dickinson College's journey to establish a data analytics major. Designed to provide students with the technical proficiency required to become a data scientist, Dickinson's data analytics major also incorporates values of a liberal arts education, including interdisciplinary learning, critical thinking, thoughtful analysis, effective communication, and ethical considerations. We describe how sustained collaboration, a detailed plan to engage the campus community, partnerships with alumni, and support from senior leaders were essential to this achievement. We also discuss the challenges and successes encountered before and after the approval of the major. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Administrative staff in primary care undertake numerous tasks to support patient care delivery. Although their roles are often overlooked, administrative staff are essential to the coordination and operations of primary care clinics. The COVID-19 pandemic introduced additional clinical and administrative tasks, including transitioning to virtual appointments and triaging patients for urgency, changing typical workflows. In Canada, existing pandemic plans for primary care did not account for these administrative tasks, nor the support that family physicians would require to continue to provide patient access to primary care. This research seeks to describe and understand the perceptions and experiences of family physicians of their administrative staff roles in primary care during the COVID-19 pandemic, to help inform future pandemic planning. Methods: We present findings from a qualitative case study across four regions in Canada: Vancouver Coastal health region in British Columbia, Ontario Health West region, the province of Nova Scotia, and the Eastern Health region of Newfoundland and Labrador. We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with family physicians (n = 68) across the four regions and thematically analysed the data. Results: We identified five salient themes in the data, including (1) applying public health guidelines, (2) educating patients on COVID-19 and COVID-19 services, (3) re-organizing patient visits, (4) maintaining adequate staffing, and (5) recognizing administrative staff contributions. During the COVID-19 pandemic, family physicians took on numerous additional roles to reduce the risk of transmission of the virus with the support of their administrative staff. Family physicians emphasized the challenges of maintaining adequate staffing, and the importance of administrative staff in enabling the provision of primary care. Conclusions: Existing pandemic plans do not account for increased administrative roles taken on by primary care administrative staff. Pandemic plans must include guidance for the roles taken on by primary care administrative staff, such as clinical tasks, as they will continue to play an important role in pandemic recovery. Supporting administrative staff would enhance primary care providers' ability to manage care during pandemics, facilitate resilience, and decrease provider and administrative burnout. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]