The Value of Balanced Growth for Transportation

The Ohio Balanced Growth Program is a voluntary, locally-driven, incentive-driven program which aims to encourage compact, nodal development patterns. The Ohio Department of Transportation provided support for this research to evaluate potential links between Balanced Growth-type policy, land use and development patterns, and transportation benefits. A literature review was completed to understand the existing body of knowledge regarding the connection between policy, land use, and transportation. This included a scan of Balanced Growth-type programs across the US. Twenty-six US Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) were selected and reviewed for general geographic and policy characteristics. Land use and transportation outcome data were examined via scatterplot and linear regression across all of the MSAs. The results were evaluated broadly in light of policy frameworks in effect in each MSA, by categorizing land use policy into “tiers” based on voluntary vs. mandatory provisions, and applicability to private and public investment. Finally, a policy review was completed to understand the potential benefits of policy change at the state, regional, and local agency levels. Significant relationships were found between land use patterns, measured in terms of a sprawl composite index, and transportation outcomes for freeway lane miles, hours of delay, vehicle miles traveled, emissions, and safety. MSAs with “Tier 3” policies (mandatory, rigorous policy affecting both public and private investment) clustered together on both axes (transportation outcomes and sprawl); and MSAs within states clustered together along the sprawl score axis. Otherwise, there was no apparent pattern in the location of policy tiers along either the transportation or land use axes. Possible alternative explanations that could be evaluated in the future include overall transportation investment levels; inter-state and inter-regional travel demand; size and shape of the MSA; and market, economic and social factors. Conclusions included policy recommendations for ODOT in supporting compact, nodal development at the local, regional and state levels. Future study recommendations include pursuing future data collection, monitoring and evaluation over time

The Value of Balanced Growth for Transportation

The Ohio Balanced Growth Program is a voluntary, locally-driven, incentive-driven program which aims to encourage compact, nodal development patterns. The Ohio Department of Transportation provided support for this research to evaluate potential links between Balanced Growth-type policy, land use and development patterns, and transportation benefits. A literature review was completed to understand the existing body of knowledge regarding the connection between policy, land use, and transportation. This included a scan of Balanced Growth-type programs across the US. Twenty-six US Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) were selected and reviewed for general geographic and policy characteristics. Land use and transportation outcome data were examined via scatterplot and linear regression across all of the MSAs. The results were evaluated broadly in light of policy frameworks in effect in each MSA, by categorizing land use policy into “tiers” based on voluntary vs. mandatory provisions, and applicability to private and public investment. Finally, a policy review was completed to understand the potential benefits of policy change at the state, regional, and local agency levels. Significant relationships were found between land use patterns, measured in terms of a sprawl composite index, and transportation outcomes for freeway lane miles, hours of delay, vehicle miles traveled, emissions, and safety. MSAs with “Tier 3” policies (mandatory, rigorous policy affecting both public and private investment) clustered together on both axes (transportation outcomes and sprawl); and MSAs within states clustered together along the sprawl score axis. Otherwise, there was no apparent pattern in the location of policy tiers along either the transportation or land use axes. Possible alternative explanations that could be evaluated in the future include overall transportation investment levels; inter-state and inter-regional travel demand; size and shape of the MSA; and market, economic and social factors. Conclusions included policy recommendations for ODOT in supporting compact, nodal development at the local, regional and state levels. Future study recommendations include pursuing future data collection, monitoring and evaluation over time

Re-engineering a NiFe hydrogenase to increase the H2 production bias while maintaining native levels of O2 tolerance

Naturally occurring oxygen tolerant NiFe membrane bound hydrogenases have a conserved catalytic bias towards hydrogen oxidation which limits their technological value. We present an Escherichia coli Hyd-1 amino acid exchange that apparently causes the catalytic rate of H2 production to double but does not impact the O2 tolerance

Novel experimental and analysis strategies for fast voltammetry: 2. A troubleshoot-free flow cell for FSCV calibrations

Fast scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) at carbon fiber microelectrodes (CFMs) is a method traditionally used for real-time quantification of neurotransmitters in biological systems. Reliable calibration of CFMs is essential for converting FSCV signals to analyte concentrations and generally employs flow injection analysis (FIA) performed with flow cells fabricated in-house. Such FSCV FIA cells often require significant and ongoing troubleshooting with pulsing, leaking, flow inconsistencies and dead volume being major causes of common challenges. In this work, we address these issues by creating a robust, plug-and-play FSCV flow cell. This novel design permits reproducible, high-precision, and stable flow injection profiles using low-cost materials to improve FSCV calibration. The ready-to-print computer-aided designs and hardware list are provided

Mesenchymal stromal cells and platelet-rich plasma promote tendon allograft healing in ovine anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

Purpose The effect of bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (BMSCs) and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) on tendon allograft maturation in a large animal anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction model was reported for the first time. It was hypothesised that compared with non-augmented ACL reconstruction, BMSCs and PRP would enhance graft maturation after 12 weeks and this would be detected using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods Fifteen sheep underwent unilateral tendon allograft ACL reconstruction using aperture fixation and were randomised into three groups (n = 5). Group 1 received 10 million allogeneic BMSCs in 2 ml fibrin sealant; Group 2 received 12 ml PRP in a plasma clot injected into the graft and bone tunnels; and Group 3 (control) received no adjunctive treatment. At autopsy at 12 weeks, a graft maturation score was determined by the sum for graft integrity, synovial coverage and vascularisation, graft thickness and apparent tension, and synovial sealing at tunnel apertures. MRI analysis (n = 2 animals per group) of the signal–noise quotient (SNQ) and fibrous interzone (FIZ) was used to evaluate intra-articular graft maturation and tendon–bone healing, respectively. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient (r) of SNQ, autopsy graft maturation score and bone tunnel diameter were analysed. Results The BMSC group (p = 0.01) and PRP group (p = 0.03) had a significantly higher graft maturation score compared with the control group. The BMSC group scored significantly higher for synovial sealing at tunnel apertures (p = 0.03) compared with the control group. The graft maturation score at autopsy significantly correlated with the SNQ (r = − 0.83, p < 0.01). The tunnel diameter of the femoral tunnel at the aperture (r = 0.883, p = 0.03) and mid-portion (r = 0.941, p = 0.02) positively correlated with the SNQ. Conclusions BMSCs and PRP significantly enhanced graft maturation, which indicates that orthobiologics can accelerate the biologic events in tendon allograft incorporation. Femoral tunnel expansion significantly correlated with inferior maturation of the intra-articular graft. The clinical relevance of this study is that BMSCs and PRP enhance allograft healing in a translational model, and biological modulation of graft healing can be evaluated non-invasively using MRI

Advancing Equity Planning Now

What can planners do to restore equity to their craft? Drawing upon the perspectives of a diverse group of planning experts, Advancing Equity Planning Now places the concepts of fairness and equal access squarely in the center of planning research and practice. Editors Norman Krumholz and Kathryn Wertheim Hexter provide essential resources for city leaders and planners, as well as for students and others, interested in shaping the built environment for a more just world.Advancing Equity Planning Now remind us that equity has always been an integral consideration in the planning profession. The historic roots of that ethical commitment go back more than a century. Yet a trend of growing inequality in America, as well as other recent socio-economic changes that divide the wealthiest from the middle and working classes, challenge the notion that a rising economic tide lifts all boats. When planning becomes mere place-making for elites, urban and regional planners need to return to the fundamentals of their profession. Although they have not always done so, planners are well-positioned to advocate for greater equity in public policies that address the multiple objectives of urban planning including housing, transportation, economic development, and the removal of noxious land uses in neighborhoods

The Structure of Hydrogenase-2 from <i>Escherichia coli</i>:Implications for H₂ -Driven Proton Pumping

Under anaerobic conditions Escherichia coli is able to metabolize molecular hydrogen via the action of several [NiFe]-hydrogenase enzymes. Hydrogenase-2, which is typically present in cells at low levels during anaerobic respiration, is a periplasmic-facing membrane-bound complex that functions as a proton pump to convert energy from H2 oxidation into a proton gradient; consequently, its structure is of great interest. Empirically, the complex consists of a tightly-bound core catalytic module, comprising large (HybC) and small (HybO) subunits, which is attached to an Fe-S protein (HybA) and an integral membrane protein, HybB. To date, efforts to gain a more detailed picture have been thwarted by low native expression levels of hydrogenase-2 and the labile interaction between HybOC and HybA/HybB subunits. In this paper we describe a new over-expression system that has facilitated determination of high-resolution crystal structures of HybOC and, hence, a prediction of the quaternary structure of the HybOCAB complex

Influence of haem environment on the catalytic properties of the tetrathionate reductase TsdA from Campylobacter jejuni

Bifunctional diheme cytochrome c thiosul­fate dehydrogenases/tetrathionate reductases (TsdA) exhibit different catalytic properties depend­ing on the source organism. In the human food-borne intestinal pathogen Campylobacter jejuni , TsdA functions as a tetrathionate reductase en­abling respiration with tetrathionate as an al­ternative electron acceptor. Here, evidence is provided that Cys138 and Met255 serve as the sixth ligands of Heme 1 and Heme 2, respec­tively, in the oxidized Cj TsdA wt protein. Re­placement of Cys138 resulted in a virtually inac­tive enzyme, confirming Heme 1 as the active site heme. Significantly, TsdA variants carrying amino acid exchanges in the vicinity of the elec­tron-transferring Heme 2 (Met255, Asn254 and Lys252) exhibited markedly altered catalytic properties of the enzyme, showing these residues play a key role in the physiological function of TsdA. The growth phenotypes and tetrathionate reductase activities of a series of Δ tsdA/*tsdA complemen­tation strains constructed in the original host C. jejuni 81116, showed that in vivo , the TsdA variants exhibited the same catalytic properties as the pure, recombinantly produced enzymes. However, variants that catalyzed tetrathionate reduction more effectively than the wild-type enzyme did not allow better growth