An AFSCME Local Transforms Local Politics

[Excerpt] In the late 1980s, AFSCME Local 2703, in Merced, California, found itself in a position familiar to many union members at that time: fighting hard to keep pay and benefits from being slashed. The realization that these confrontations could occur at every contract led local members to look for ways to make local government more responsive to the working men and women of the community. Through commitment and determination — and two bitter strikes — Local 2703 held its own against a local government determined to render it powerless. Through community education and coalition, the local to (sic) achieved its first small victories. The lessons the local members learned enabled them to build an effective and influential political action committee that reaches beyond the limits of their own union contracts to pursue political change, furthers community awareness and promote coalitions across racial, ethnic, and economic barriers. Their continuing commitment to the notion that working men and women are brothers and sisters, who deserve the respect of their peers and their government leaders, has them poised to be a visible influence in the politics of Merced County

University Students from Four Ethnopolitical Conflict Zones: An Exploratory Study of Perceptions of Self and Country

This exploratory comparative case study examines hopes and fears for self and country of 300 students attending university in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Northern Ireland, South Africa, and Sri Lanka. Students report living in stressful societies where ethno political and state violence were the norm. The results of this qualitative study indicate that while the young people are optimistic about their life changes, they are concerned that the conflicts could re-ignite and spiral out of control. In particular, the students’ images indicate the importance of the self-society relationship and that these young adults relish the challenge of being productive citizens in their post-conflict societies

The propensity of non-concussive and concussive head contacts during elite-level women's rugby league matches : A prospective analysis of over 14,000 tackle events

Objectives Identify the frequency, propensity, and factors related to tackle events which result in contact with the head in elite-level women's rugby league. Design Prospective video analysis study. Methods Video footage from 59 Women's Super League matches were analysed (n = 14,378 tackle events). All tackle events were coded as no head contact or head contact. Other independent variables included: area contacting head, impacted player, concussion outcome, penalty outcome, round of competition, time in match and team standard. Results There were 83.0 ± 20.0 (propensity 304.0/1000 tackle events) head contacts per match. The propensity of head contact was significantly greater for the tackler than ball-carrier (178.5 vs. 125.7/1000 tackle events; incident rate ratio 1.42, 95 % confidence interval 1.34 to 1.50). Head contacts occurring from an arm, shoulder, and head occurred significantly more than any other contact type. The propensity of concussions was 2.7/1000 head contacts. There was no significant influence of team standard or time in match on the propensity of head contacts. Conclusions The observed head contacts can inform interventions, primarily focusing on the tackler not contacting the ball-carrier's head. The tackler's head should also be appropriately positioned to avoid contact with the ball-carrier's knee (highest propensity for concussion). The findings are consistent with other research in men's rugby. Law modifications and/or enforcement (reducing the number of un-penalised head contacts), concurrent with coaching interventions (optimising head placement or reducing the head being contacted) may help minimise head contact risk factors for women's rugby league

Soundscape enrichment enhances recruitment and habitat building on new oyster reef restorations

Published online: January 20231. Marine soundscapes provide important navigational cues to dispersing larvae in search of suitable habitat. Yet, widespread habitat loss has degraded marine soundscapes and their functional role in recruitment. Habitat restoration efforts can provide suitable substrate for habitat regeneration, such as constructing reefs to facilitate recruitment and habitat growth by oysters, but typically occur where soundscapes are degraded and recruitment is limited. Enhancing marine soundscapes on newly constructed reefs using speaker technology may ensure sufficient recruitment to establish a trajectory of recovery for the desired habitat. 2. Across two of the largest oyster reef restorations in Australia, we deployed low-cost marine speakers at four sites and at three times throughout the recruitment season to test whether soundscape enrichment could boost recruitment and habitat formation by oysters. In the presence and absence of soundscape playback, we compared oyster recruitment rates to settlement panels across space and time, and oyster habitat cover and three-dimensional habitat building on newly constructed boulder reefs. 3. On the settlement panels deployed across the two reef restorations, soundscape playback significantly increased oyster recruitment at 8 of the 10 sites by an average (±1 SE) 5.1 ± 1.9 times (5281 ± 1384 more larvae per m2), and by as much as 18 times. 4. On boulders atop newly constructed reefs, where the restoration goal is for oysters to form three-dimensional habitat, the surface area covered by oysters after 5 months did not differ between speaker and control treatments. However, soundscape playback appeared to influence the earlier recruitment of oysters, resulting in significantly more large oysters per boulder that formed significantly more three-dimensional habitat building by an average 4.3 ± 1.2 times relative to nonspeaker controls. 5. Synthesis and applications. Our results show that using speakers to enrich marine soundscapes at new restoration sites can boost oyster recruitment, resulting in more larger oysters that form more three-dimensional habitat atop reef restorations. In accelerating the formation of these vertical growth forms, which provide the ecological functions that motivate restoration efforts, the early application of speaker technology on new reef restorations may help steer ecological succession on a trajectory of desired habitat recovery, potentially reducing the substantial cost of ongoing intervention.Dominic McAfee, Brittany R. Williams, Lachlan McLeod, Andreas Reuter, Zak Wheaton, Sean D. Connel

Tumor exome sequencing and copy number alterations reveal potential predictors of intrinsic resistance to multi-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors

Multi-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have broad efficacy and similar FDA-approved indications, suggesting shared molecular drug targets across cancer types. Irrespective of tumor type, 20-30% of patients treated with multi-targeted TKIs demonstrate intrinsic resistance, with progressive disease as a best response. We conducted a retrospective cohort study to identify tumor (somatic) point mutations, insertion/deletions, and copy number alterations (CNA) associated with intrinsic resistance to multi-targeted TKIs. Using a candidate gene approach (n=243), tumor next-generation sequencing and CNA data was associated with resistant and non-resistant outcomes. Resistant individuals (n=11) more commonly harbored somatic point mutations in NTRK1, KDR, TGFBR2, and PTPN11 and CNA in CDK4, CDKN2B, and ERBB2 compared to non-resistant (n=26, p<0.01). Using a random forest classification model for variable reduction and a decision tree classification model, we were able to differentiate intrinsically resistant from non-resistant patients. CNA in CDK4 and CDKN2B were the most important analytical features, implicating the cyclin D pathway as a potentially important factor in resistance to multi-targeted TKIs. Replication of these results in a larger, independent patient cohort has potential to inform personalized prescribing of these widely utilized agents

The Ursinus Weekly, November 7, 1974

The Great Pumpkin comes to U.C. • Course Directory Catalogue Committee formed by U.S.G.A. • Antigone is ProTheatre\u27s production • Union does it again • Criminal law featured as Forum topic • Letters to the editor: Epitaph on an Ursinus transfer • Pages from Ursinus past: A legend • Perusing Pfahler\u27s pigeons • New Economics head • Equus reviewed • Concerts: Bizarre and sublime • Record review • Nate DuPree: Can a black man find happiness at Ursinus? • Martha Franklin: A half century of service to our students and campus • Readin\u27, ritin\u27 and new math • Introducing campus leaders • Football wrapup: Swarthmore; Widener • Hockey teams win the big games! • Harriers 6-4 on seasonhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1024/thumbnail.jp

Turning a lost reef ecosystem into a national restoration program

Achieving a sustainable socioecological future now requires large-scale environmental repair across legislative borders. Yet, enabling large-scale conservation is complicated by policy-making processes that are disconnected from socioeconomic interests, multiple sources of knowledge, and differing applications of policy. We considered how a multidisciplinary approach to marine habitat restoration generated the scientific evidence base, community support, and funding needed to begin the restoration of a forgotten, functionally extinct shellfish reef ecosystem. The key actors came together as a multidisciplinary community of researchers, conservation practitioners, recreational fisher communities, and government bodies that collaborated across sectors to rediscover Australia's lost shellfish reefs and communicate the value of its restoration. Actions undertaken to build a case for large-scale marine restoration included synthesizing current knowledge on Australian shellfish reefs and their historical decline, using this history to tell a compelling story to spark public and political interest, integrating restoration into government policy, and rallying local support through community engagement. Clearly articulating the social, economic, and environmental business case for restoration led to state and national funding for reef restoration to meet diverse sustainability goals (e.g., enhanced biodiversity and fisheries productivity) and socioeconomic goals (e.g., job creation and recreational opportunities). A key lesson learned was the importance of aligning project goals with public and industry interests so that projects could address multiple political obligations. This process culminated in Australia's largest marine restoration initiative and shows that solutions for large-scale ecosystem repair can rapidly occur when socially valued science acts on political opportunities