Horatio Alger: The Persistence of a Ghetto Social Welfare Institution

Despite the riots, radical movements and demands for community controls of the 1960\u27s, social scientists and social workers have noted the perserverance of many non-radical, traditional institutions in ghetto neighborhoods. Some of these institutions, like settlement houses, still advance the ideas of hard work, hoensty, competition, and individual achievement which are at the heart of the American dream. These institutions were often around long before the War on Poverty and appear likely to last long after its end. They, therefore, seem to be a reliable potential source of aid for many ghetto residents. The question at the heart of this paper is whether there is any contradiction between the more or less permanent place of social welfare institutions in a ghetto community and the goal of changing and improving that same neighborhood. How have these traditional organizations been able to survive during a period of heightened social consciousness and political action? What accommodations, if any,have they had to make? and what does this perserverance indicate about the political culture in the ghetto and the possibility of significant, even radical, change? Our answer to these issues will come from looking at the ideology, staff, budget, and Board of Trustees of one social welfare institution in New York: The Boys\u27 Club

Horatio Alger: The Persistence of a Ghetto Social Welfare Institution

Despite the riots, radical movements and demands for community controls of the 1960\u27s, social scientists and social workers have noted the perserverance of many non-radical, traditional institutions in ghetto neighborhoods. Some of these institutions, like settlement houses, still advance the ideas of hard work, hoensty, competition, and individual achievement which are at the heart of the American dream. These institutions were often around long before the War on Poverty and appear likely to last long after its end. They, therefore, seem to be a reliable potential source of aid for many ghetto residents. The question at the heart of this paper is whether there is any contradiction between the more or less permanent place of social welfare institutions in a ghetto community and the goal of changing and improving that same neighborhood. How have these traditional organizations been able to survive during a period of heightened social consciousness and political action? What accommodations, if any,have they had to make? and what does this perserverance indicate about the political culture in the ghetto and the possibility of significant, even radical, change? Our answer to these issues will come from looking at the ideology, staff, budget, and Board of Trustees of one social welfare institution in New York: The Boys\u27 Club

Fiscal austerity and rental housing policy in the US and UK, 2010-2016

The purpose of this paper is to compare the dynamics and initial impacts of austerity in the US and the UK (notably England) on affordable rental housing programs and housing support for low income tenants. The focus is upon budget retrenchment decisions made in the US and the UK from 2010 to 2016. The manner in which these cuts occurred, their volatility, and their effects are what drives this analysis. We seek to learn whether there have been fiscally comparable adjustments and volatility in budget decisions in the quite different contexts of the two countries and if so whether this can help us better understand the drivers and effects of change..

Meeting Report: Hazard Assessment for Nanoparticles—Report from an Interdisciplinary Workshop

In this report we present the findings from a nanotoxicology workshop held 6–7 April 2006 at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, DC. Over 2 days, 26 scientists from government, academia, industry, and nonprofit organizations addressed two specific questions: what information is needed to understand the human health impact of engineered nanoparticles and how is this information best obtained? To assess hazards of nanoparticles in the near-term, most participants noted the need to use existing in vivo toxicologic tests because of their greater familiarity and interpretability. For all types of toxicology tests, the best measures of nanoparticle dose need to be determined. Most participants agreed that a standard set of nanoparticles should be validated by laboratories worldwide and made available for benchmarking tests of other newly created nanoparticles. The group concluded that a battery of tests should be developed to uncover particularly hazardous properties. Given the large number of diverse materials, most participants favored a tiered approach. Over the long term, research aimed at developing a mechanistic understanding of the numerous characteristics that influence nanoparticle toxicity was deemed essential. Predicting the potential toxicity of emerging nanoparticles will require hypothesis-driven research that elucidates how physicochemical parameters influence toxic effects on biological systems. Research needs should be determined in the context of the current availability of testing methods for nanoscale particles. Finally, the group identified general policy and strategic opportunities to accelerate the development and implementation of testing protocols and ensure that the information generated is translated effectively for all stakeholders

Genome-Wide Association Scan Identifies a Risk Locus for Preeclampsia on 2q14, Near the Inhibin, Beta B Gene

Miira Klemetti ja Anna Inkeri Lokki FINNPEC Study Group'n jäseniä. Jäseniä yht. 16.Peer reviewe

The Staphylococcus aureus Response to Unsaturated Long Chain Free Fatty Acids: Survival Mechanisms and Virulence Implications

Staphylococcus aureus is an important human commensal and opportunistic pathogen responsible for a wide range of infections. Long chain unsaturated free fatty acids represent a barrier to colonisation and infection by S. aureus and act as an antimicrobial component of the innate immune system where they are found on epithelial surfaces and in abscesses. Despite many contradictory reports, the precise anti-staphylococcal mode of action of free fatty acids remains undetermined. In this study, transcriptional (microarrays and qRT-PCR) and translational (proteomics) analyses were applied to ascertain the response of S. aureus to a range of free fatty acids. An increase in expression of the σB and CtsR stress response regulons was observed. This included increased expression of genes associated with staphyloxanthin synthesis, which has been linked to membrane stabilisation. Similarly, up-regulation of genes involved in capsule formation was recorded as were significant changes in the expression of genes associated with peptidoglycan synthesis and regulation. Overall, alterations were recorded predominantly in pathways involved in cellular energetics. In addition, sensitivity to linoleic acid of a range of defined (sigB, arcA, sasF, sarA, agr, crtM) and transposon-derived mutants (vraE, SAR2632) was determined. Taken together, these data indicate a common mode of action for long chain unsaturated fatty acids that involves disruption of the cell membrane, leading to interference with energy production within the bacterial cell. Contrary to data reported for other strains, the clinically important EMRSA-16 strain MRSA252 used in this study showed an increase in expression of the important virulence regulator RNAIII following all of the treatment conditions tested. An adaptive response by S. aureus of reducing cell surface hydrophobicity was also observed. Two fatty acid sensitive mutants created during this study were also shown to diplay altered pathogenesis as assessed by a murine arthritis model. Differences in the prevalence and clinical importance of S. aureus strains might partly be explained by their responses to antimicrobial fatty acids

Transcriptional profiling of HERV-K(HML-2) in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and potential implications for expression of HML-2 proteins

Abstract Background Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder. About 90% of ALS cases are without a known genetic cause. The human endogenous retrovirus multi-copy HERV-K(HML-2) group was recently reported to potentially contribute to neurodegeneration and disease pathogenesis in ALS because of transcriptional upregulation and toxic effects of HML-2 Envelope (Env) protein. Env and other proteins are encoded by some transcriptionally active HML-2 loci. However, more detailed information is required regarding which HML-2 loci are transcribed in ALS, which of their proteins are expressed, and differences between the disease and non-disease states. Methods For brain and spinal cord tissue samples from ALS patients and controls, we identified transcribed HML-2 loci by generating and mapping HML-2-specific cDNA sequences. We predicted expression of HML-2 env gene-derived proteins based on the observed cDNA sequences. Furthermore, we determined overall HML-2 transcript levels by RT-qPCR and investigated presence of HML-2 Env protein in ALS and control tissue samples by Western blotting. Results We identified 24 different transcribed HML-2 loci. Some of those loci are transcribed at relatively high levels. However, significant differences in HML-2 loci transcriptional activities were not seen when comparing ALS and controls. Likewise, overall HML-2 transcript levels, as determined by RT-qPCR, were not significantly different between ALS and controls. Indeed, we were unable to detect full-length HML-2 Env protein in ALS and control tissue samples despite reasonable sensitivity. Rather our analyses suggest that a number of HML-2 protein variants other than full-length Env may potentially be expressed in ALS patients. Conclusions Our results expand and refine recent publications on HERV-K(HML-2) and ALS. Some of our results are in conflict with recent findings and call for further specific analyses. Our profiling of HML-2 transcription in ALS opens up the possibility that HML-2 proteins other than canonical full-length Env may have to be considered when studying the role of HML-2 in ALS disease

Blue Carbon Storage Capacity of Temperate Eelgrass (Zostera marina) Meadows

Despite the importance of coastal ecosystems for the global carbon budgets, knowledge of their carbon storage capacity and the factors driving variability in storage capacity is still limited. Here we provide an estimate on the magnitude and variability of carbon stocks within a widely distributed marine foundation species throughout its distribution area in temperate Northern Hemisphere. We sampled 54 eelgrass (Zostera marina) meadows, spread across eight ocean margins and 36° of latitude, to determine abiotic and biotic factors influencing organic carbon (Corg) stocks in Zostera marina sediments. The Corg stocks (integrated over 25‐cm depth) showed a large variability and ranged from 318 to 26,523 g C/m2 with an average of 2,721 g C/m2. The projected Corg stocks obtained by extrapolating over the top 1 m of sediment ranged between 23.1 and 351.7 Mg C/ha, which is in line with estimates for other seagrasses and other blue carbon ecosystems. Most of the variation in Corg stocks was explained by five environmental variables (sediment mud content, dry density and degree of sorting, and salinity and water depth), while plant attributes such as biomass and shoot density were less important to Corg stocks. Carbon isotopic signatures indicated that at most sites <50% of the sediment carbon is derived from seagrass, which is lower than reported previously for seagrass meadows. The high spatial carbon storage variability urges caution in extrapolating carbon storage capacity between geographical areas as well as within and between seagrass species