Regional Transit Service, Inc. and Amalgamated Transit Union, Local No. 282

In the Matter of Fact-Finding Between AMALGAMATED TRANSIT UNION, LOCAL NO. 282 And REGIONAL TRANSIT SERVICE, INC. PERB Case No. M2008-063. Before: Dennis J. Campagna, Esq. – Fact Finder

Greece Central School District and Greece Teachers Association

In the Matter of Fact-Finding Between Greece Central School District and Greece Teachers Association. PERB Case No. M2007-072. Before: Dennis J. Campagna, Esq. – Fact Finder

Wappingers Central School District and Wappingers Federation of Transit, Custodial and Maintenance Workers Wappingers Central School District and Wappingers Federation of Transit, Custodial and Maintenance Workers

In the Matter of Fact-Finding Between: WAPPINGERS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT, -And- WAPPINGERS FEDERATION OF WORKERS. PERB CASE NO. M2006-193. Before: Dennis J. Campagna, Esq

Red Hook Central School District and Red Hook Faculty Association

In the matter of the fact-finding between the Red Hook Central School District, employer, and the Red Hook Faculty Association, union. PERB case no. M2009-079. Before: Dennis J. Campagna, Esq., fact finder

Correlated patterns of genetic diversity and differentiation across an avian family

Comparative studies of closely related taxa can provide insights into the evolutionary forces that shape genome evolution and the prevalence of convergent molecular evolution. We investigated patterns of genetic diversity and differentiation in stonechats (genus Saxicola), a widely distributed avian species complex with phenotypic variation in plumage, morphology, and migratory behavior, to ask whether similar genomic regions have become differentiated in independent, but closely related, taxa. We used whole-genome pooled sequencing of 262 individuals from 5 taxa and found that levels of genetic diversity and divergence are strongly correlated among different stonechat taxa. We then asked if these patterns remain correlated at deeper evolutionary scales and found that homologous genomic regions have become differentiated in stonechats and the closely related Ficedula flycatchers. Such correlation across a range of evolutionary divergence and among phylogenetically independent comparisons suggests that similar processes may be driving the differentiation of these independently evolving lineages, which in turn may be the result of intrinsic properties of particular genomic regions (e.g., areas of low recombination). Consequently, studies employing genome scans to search for areas important for reproductive isolation or adaptation should account for corresponding regions of differentiation, as these regions may not necessarily represent speciation islands or evidence of local adaptation

Future Scenarios for the Pampulha Region: A Geodesign Workshop

The paper describes the processes, workflow and results of a Geodesign workshop held by the authors in Belo Horizonte, Brazil in 2015. The participants were involved in the design of sustainable future alternatives for the urban district of Pampulha – an area characterized by complex conflicting interests concerning both development and landscape preservation. The scenarios were created on the basis of set objectives and priorities by six stakeholder groups, and assessed on the basis of ten evaluation systems. During the workshop, the use of a collaborative design support system (Geodesign Hub) facilitated the creation of design proposals informed by geographic context operatively enabling the application of the Steinitz’ Geodesign framework. The integration of information technologies in the planning process enabled the collaboration between the various actors involved simplifying the interactive scenario impact simulation and decision-making through real time performance analysis and quick negotiation cycles. Overall the Geodesign framework application with the Geodesign Hub platform proved to be a successful novel approach enabling to address some of the major traditional planning issues such as collaboration and negotiation in design and decision-making

An E-mail Service in a Military Adolescent Medicine Clinic: will teens use it and what for?

The goal of this study was to determine utilization patterns of an Adolescent Medicine Clinic e-mail service. An e-mail service was offered to 6134 patients presenting for care to a military Adolescent Medicine Clinic in San Antonio, Texas over a 6-month period. Families had to complete an authorization form acknowledging that the e-mail service was not encrypted and was not to be used for emergent issues prior to use. 482 families signed up for the service. A total of 42 e-mails were received from 28 of these families. 75% of all e-mails were initiated by parents. The majority of e-mails were administrative issues including: medication refills, lab follow up, and referrals requests. In conclusion, the e-mail service was a low cost method to increase communication options for our patients that was not associated with a large increase in clinic workload because of low utilization rates, especially among younger adolescents.Keywords: Adolescents; E-mail; Internet; Electronic communication; Physicianpatient communicatio

Evidence for membrane affinity of the C-terminal domain of bovine milk PP3 component

AbstractComponent PP3 is a phosphoglycoprotein isolated from bovine milk with unknown biological function, which displays in its C-terminal region a basic amphipathic α-helix, a feature often involved in membrane association. According to that, the behaviour of PP3 and of a synthetic peptide from the C-terminal domain (residues 113–135) was investigated in lipid environment. Conductance measurements indicated that the peptide was able to associate and form channels in planar lipid bilayers composed of neutral or charged phospholipids. Electrostatic interactions seemed to promote voltage-dependant channel formation but this was not absolutely required since the pore-forming ability of the 113–135 C-terminal peptide was also detected with the zwitterionic lipid bilayer. Additionally, a spectroscopic study using circular dichroism argues that the peptide adopts an α-helical conformation in interaction with neutral or charged micelles. Thus, the conducting aggregates in bilayers might be composed of a bundle of peptides in helical conformation. Besides, similar conductance measurements performed with the whole PP3 protein did not induce any channel fluctuations. However, with the latter, an early breakdown of the bilayers occurred, a finding that can be tentatively explained by a massive incorporation of PP3. In the light of the present results, it could be inferred that PP3 membrane attachment may be achieved by oligomerization of the C-terminal amphipathic helical region